


Follow the Leader

by gardenofmaris



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Abuse, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Blow Jobs, Butt Plugs, Choking, Cock Warming, Episode: s01e04 The Fall of the Castle of Lions, Funeral, Grief/Mourning, Knotting, M/M, Marking, Miscarriage, Mpreg, Multi, Oral Knotting, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Overstimulation, Sexual Slavery, The Lions have Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-02-23 03:49:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 35,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13181748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gardenofmaris/pseuds/gardenofmaris
Summary: “Oh, little omega. You're still so responsive,” Sendak cooed.A torrent of memories tore through him, and he gasped, eyes going unfocused.It was Sendak. It had all been Sendak. He'd been the one who’d taken Shiro, who had given him to the Druids to be experimented on, who had taken Shiro as a new omega. He could remember vividly how it felt to be under Sendak, the bigger Galra pressing into him, knotting him, making him beg and cry and moan.“You did this to me.”“Oh you're so right, my little omega. And now that I have you back, you're not going anywhere.”Sendak's eyes shifted to Lance, face morphing into an expression of hunger. “And it looks like I'm getting a second omega too. Oh, how lucky for me.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thebluewater7 and icycoldmoonprincess have been egging me on every time I get a fucked up idea for a Voltron fic, and I love them for it. They both helped beta and icycoldmoonprincess came up with the title.  
> Thanks guys <3  
> I love you both a ton

Shiro struggled against Sendak’s lackeys, grunting as one of them kicked the back of his knees. He went down, the force from the fall jarring his kneecaps. Still, he tried to pull away, to fight his way out, before a hand grabbed at the nape of his neck.

His body immediately relaxed, but his mind panicked. No one should know about that except for the Paladins. He'd had Allura implant a suppressor into him as soon as it had become obvious what he'd been turned into.

The same hand left his neck and grabbed onto a fistful of his hair, making Shiro look up.

“Sendak.” He growled the name, putting as much venom as he could into that single word.

Sendak laughed, grabbing Shiro’s jaw and tilting it up roughly. He pressed his fingers into the glands on either side of Shiro’s neck, grinning when Shiro melted. Heat burst through Shiro’s whole body, making him whimper and try to press his thighs together to try and stop the slick that he could feel forming between his legs.

“Oh, little omega. You're still so responsive,” Sendak cooed.

A torrent of memories tore through him, and he gasped, eyes going unfocused.

It was Sendak. It had all been Sendak. He'd been the one who’d taken Shiro, who had given him to the Druids to be experimented on, who had taken Shiro as a new omega. He could remember vividly how it felt to be under Sendak, the bigger Galra pressing into him, knotting him, making him beg and cry and moan.

“You did this to me.”

“Oh you're so right, my little omega. And now that I have you back, you're not going anywhere.”

Sendak's eyes shifted to Lance, face morphing into an expression of hunger. “And it looks like I'm getting a second omega too. Oh, how lucky for me.”

Shiro’s chest clenched. Not Lance. He struggled some more, renewed with energy. He had to protect Lance.

It didn't last long, though, because Sendak let him go, marching over to Lance’s prone body and placing a single clawed hand on his neck.

“Keep struggling and you'll get to see how this one looks as he's gasping his dying breath.”

Sendak lifted Lance off the ground as soon as Shiro stopped struggling, throwing him over his shoulder.

“You,” he pointed at a random drone and tossed it a communication device, “stay here. When I give the order, shut down the particle barrier. The rest of you, come with me.”

Sendak’s goons pulled Shiro up onto his feet, and Sendak walked calmly up to look over him.

“You're going to take us to the Black Lion, and you're going to get in it and take us wherever I tell you. You can say no if you truly don't want to, but if you don't, I'll make you watch as I devour this pretty little soon to be omega dry, and then I'll rip him open so you can hold him as he dies. Sound good?”

Shiro gulped, eyes on Lance’s prone form. “Okay. I'll take you.”

Under Shiro’s direction, they arrived at the hangar for the Black Lion quickly. Sendak grinned up at the sight of the Black Lion, large and majestic. Shiro knew without a doubt that it would be Sendak’s absolute delight to hand Black over to Zarkon, and with Black in Zarkon’s possession, Voltron would belong to the Galra in no time. There would be no stopping them.

He hoped with everything he had in him that Black would listen to him.

She let them all in, and Shiro could feel her discontent with the fact that some of Zarkon’s Galra were polluting her. Shiro ran his hand lovingly against her console, murmuring words on endearment to her.

Sendak settled himself behind Shiro, hands lightly grazing Shiro’s neck, and Shiro shivered. He let himself fall into their bond, eyes closed as he begged for Black to start up. She resisted, pushing back against him, until he reminded her that it was them or the Castle.

Finally, she relented, turning on and walking towards the closed hangar. Shiro vaguely heard Sendak order the drone he'd left behind to lower the particle barrier, and as it did, the hangar door opened.

Shiro led Black out easily, conversing with her silently, letting her in on the plan forming in his head. She didn't like it, he could tell. She hated it. But, she also conceded that it was their best option at this point. They were the leaders of their Prides, and they had to do what was best for the ones they cared for.

Sendak whispered in his ear as they flew away from the Castle, whispering directions in between threats and promises. Shiro shuddered, remembering just how insatiable Sendak had been before. No doubt it would be worse. As he drove, he promised to himself that he would do everything in his power to make sure that Sendak wouldn’t hurt Lance too much. He’d do anything that was asked of him if it meant keeping Lance safe.

Black rumbled in his head, both proud and worried. She gently reminded him that she wouldn’t be there to take care of him, and that he was going to need to make sure to keep the both of them safe until she could go back for him. He sent back reassurance. He wouldn’t do anything stupid, he promised. Black wasn’t shy in letting him know that he’d better not.

He smiled, running his hand along her console again. He would miss her so much. Still, she reminded him that she was never far.

All too soon, he could see a Galra ship. First, just a speck in the distance. Then, as they got closer, towering over them. Even though the ship seemed small compared to other Galra ships they’d seen, it was still considerably larger than Black. Still, the fact that it was smaller and likely had less troops gave them a slight advantage in their plan.

They docked, and the Galra on the ship wasted no time in tying Black down as Sendak’s right hand man dragged Shiro out with the rest of them. Something held him, though, and Black’s resounding roar made everyone pause.

“Please, let me say goodbye,” Shiro begged Sendak.

Sendak watched curiously, then motioned for Haxus to let Shiro get closer. “Fine. You know what will happen if something goes wrong.”

Shiro nodded, pulling himself out of Haxus’s grip and walking up to Black. He stared up at her, and as he watched, she leaned her head down, pressing her large forehead against him. He hugged her as best as he could, and he felt the sorrow emanate off of her, a silent apology for what she was leaving him to. He assured her that he knew what he was doing, that he would protect Lance with his life, and that the sooner she and Blue found new Paladins, the sooner she could come save him.

He pulled away, her determination ringing through him, and he followed Sendak willingly, leaving the hangar where they’d docked.

Strangely enough, Sendak didn’t keep them on the ship for very long, instead leaving most of his crew, except for Haxus, and leading them all to the personal ships. They all clambered into the hatch, where Haxus took the reins and sped the ship away.

Sendak set Lance down haphazardly on one of the seats, before turning towards Shiro with a predatory glance. Shiro gulped, backing away from him. He backed himself up into the wall, and with Sendak still approaching, he started up at the Galra, eyes defiant. He’d almost given himself up completely last time, he remembered. Sendak had taken him so often, taken so much from him. His eyes flicked over to Lance briefly. Now he had Lance, though. He’d teach him to survive, how to navigate Sendak, but he wouldn’t let either of them lose.

Still, that didn’t stop the shiver of disgust that wracked through his body as Sendak leaned down to kiss and nibble at the glands on the sides of his neck. He closed his eyes, tense as his body betrayed him, leaking slick, although thankfully not as much as if he hadn’t had the implant. He silently thanked the heavens for Altean technology as Sendak pulled him closer, removing his shirt and biting down hard enough on Shiro’s neck to almost break the skin. Shiro gasped loudly, trying to pull away from Sendak.

Sendak tsked at him, shaking his head. “That’s not allowed. You know that.”

He did know that. It was one of their first rules. He took anything and everything Sendak gave him. Refusing wasn’t allowed, because this wasn’t about Shiro’s pleasure. It was about Sendak’s. Still, he felt wrong, he felt used, and he shut his eyes and Sendak went back to marking him up.

Maybe, just maybe, if he closed his eyes and let his mind wander, it’d be easier.

Somehow, his mind found Black, and Black made a sorrowful noise in his head. He could feel her anger, her helplessness, and he could feel her break free. She had no problem causing destruction in her wake, away from the ship, and he couldn’t help but smile softly, even as Sendak shoved a hand down his pants.

“Sir,” Haxus cut in.

Sendak stopped feeling Shiro up to look at Haxus impatiently. “This had better be damn important, Haxus.”

“The Black Lion has escaped.”

Sendak’s head snapped to Shiro, who was still smiling softly. Sendak’s face was curious, and Shiro met it unflinchingly.

“Oh, you’re a sneaky one, aren’t you?” Sendak chuckled darkly. “Oh well. I won anyways. The fools on that ship are the ones who will pay for losing the Lion. Not me.”

Shiro shrugged.

Sendak chuckled again. “Oh, I’ve missed you, my feisty omega.”

He picked Shiro up, slamming him up against the wall and scenting his way up Shiro’s neck. Shiro whimpered against his will, turning his head away. He felt Sendak smile against his skin, and this time the bite did make it through Shiro’s skin. Shiro made a soft noise of pain, tears welling up in his eyes behind his eyelids.

Sendak made it a point to keep getting Shiro wet, until even with the implant his pants were soaked. Once it got to that point, Sendak let Shiro down onto the ground, pulling him onto his knees as he sat down in the ship.

“You know what I want, omega.”

Shiro set to it immediately, opening up Sendak’s pants and stroking him to full hardness. Sendak growled in pleasure, little praises escaping his mouth and making Shiro’s omega brain sigh with happiness. Pleasing an Alpha always made it do that. Sendak ran a hand through Shiro’s hair, tugging on it slightly, and Shiro went down easily enough, opening his mouth and taking Sendak’s cock into his mouth.

He swallowed down as much as he could, the heavy weight of it resting against his tongue. Shiro looked up at Sendak from underneath his lashes, mouth working softly against the skin of his cock.

“Not now, omega. I’ll knot your mouth later. Right now, just stay there.”

Shiro acquiesced. He remembered how much Sendak had liked it when he would warm his cock. It only made sense that that’s what he would have done right now.

Sendak and Haxus didn’t speak of anything substantial for the ride, although to be entirely honest, Shiro was focusing most of his attention on staying where he was and not upsetting Sendak, so he couldn’t be entirely certain. He was silently thankful that Lance stayed knocked out for the entire shuttle ride, although it was also worrying that he was so out of it.

By the time they reached the main ship, Sendak had almost gone flaccid at least three times, and Shiro had had to work him back to hardness each time. It was exhausting, and his jaw and tongue had actually started to go numb by the time the ship docked.

When Haxus gave Sendak the appropriate warning, Sendak eased his cock out of Shiro’s mouth, pumping it only a few times before coming all over Shiro’s face. Shiro flinched, disgusted at the feeling, before Sendak rubbed it thoroughly into his face, so that any Galra who smelled him would know who he belonged to.

“Grab him, Haxus.”

While Sendak tossed a still unconscious Lance over his shoulder, Haxus grabbed onto Shiro. Shiro could feel him lean in and sniff Shiro deeply, obviously enjoying the smell of turned on omega. It made him shift uncomfortably, and Sendak just laughed.

“One day, Haxus. Work hard, and then you might get your own omega some day.”

“I sure do hope so, sir. He smells absolutely delicious.”

“He’s as delicious as he smells. More so even.”

Haxus growled in his ear, and Shiro jerked, looking at Sendak questioningly. Sendak was still possessive, right? He wouldn’t… share them, would he?

“Careful, Haxus,” Sendak warned. “I’m not the sharing type.”

Shiro deflated in relief, just as Haxus did in disappointment. They followed Sendak from the ship, Haxus and Sendak nodding to the Galra who all stopped to stare at the very turned on and very claimed omega. Shiro could see the hunger in every single one of their eyes, and he was so happy that he wouldn’t have to worry about being given to any of them.

A Druid met them in the hangar and led them to a room, ushering them all in. The Druid left without another word, and Sendak sat down, setting Lance down while Haxus held onto Shiro. They didn’t wait long before Haggar herself walked into the room, stopping short when she saw Shiro and Lance, both in their Paladin armor.

“Ah, the Black and Blue Paladins. I assume this means that you also have their Lions?”

Sendak crossed his arms, leaning back. “I was successful in getting the Black Lion, and I left it at Outpost 5TH-6. However, it seems that the Black Lion was too strong for them, because we hadn’t even been gone for long when we received news that the Lion had escaped them.”

Haggar stared piercingly at Sendak and Shiro, searching both of their expressions, before nodding. “Then they will be dealt with for losing such a precious piece of technology. You, however, succeeded.” Her eyes fell on Lance. “I assume you want my Druids to turn this one into an omega as well?”

Sendak nodded, before nodding at Shiro. “If you could also look him over, I believe the Alteans tampered with your creation. He doesn’t respond in the same ways anymore.”

Shiro stiffened. So Sendak  _ had _ noticed. He gulped. The last thing he wanted was for his implant to be taken from him. Then there would be nothing keeping him from getting pregnant.

Haggar smiled menacingly. “Based on his reaction, I would assume that he has been tampered with, yes. No worries, my Druids will have him fixed up in no time. Would you like anything else?”

Sendak tilted his chin towards Haxus. “Haxus was instrumental in securing the Black Lion. I feel he should be given recompense of some sort.”

Haggar nodded, sweeping out of the room. A few Druids swarmed into the room after her, one grabbing Lance, one grabbing Shiro, and the other leading a stunned Haxus out.

“They will be delivered to your quarters when we are done with them,” the Druid at Shiro’s side informed Sendak, who nodded.

“Vrepit sa.”

“Vrepit sa,” came the chorus of replies.

As the Druid led Shiro out, he heard a soft, “This will make everything easier for us,” before he felt a pinch in his neck. His eyes rolled back as he felt his body give way and his vision went black.

…

“Shiro? Shiro! Wake up  _ please _ !”

Shiro groaned, feeling like his brain was rebooting. He felt tired, heavy, thirsty. He didn’t know what was going on.

Then he registered the voice and the panic in it, and his eyes snapped open. He sat up quickly, grabbing his head as the sudden movement made the room spin, and looked over to his side where Lance was sitting, wide eyed and obviously panicking.

He reached out slowly, grabbing Lance’s arm and getting his attention.

Lance’s head snapped up to meet his eyes, and Shiro could see the fear as he tried to figure out what was going on. “Shiro? What’s happening? Where are we?”

Shiro shifted more towards Lance, shushing him softly. “Let’s start from the beginning. What do you remember last?”

“Umm.” Lance groaned, grabbing his head and closing his eyes. “I remember seeing Rover coming into the room with the crystal, then an exploding noise and a bright light.”

He gasped. “Did the crystal of the Castle get blown up?”

Shiro nodded, placing his hands on Lance’s shoulders. “Come on, Lance. I need you to breathe with me. I won’t be able to fill you in in time if you’re panicking.”

“On time? Shiro, what do you mean in time? Is something going to happen?”

Lance’s voice was getting progressively more panicked. Shiro could understand. He’d been in much the same state when the Druids had just finished turning him.

Still, they didn’t have time.

“Not now, Lance. Deep breaths,” he reminded.

Lance nodded, following Shiro’s breathing, and Shiro ran a comforting hand through Lance’s hair.

“Okay. So here’s what happened. The Galra blew up the crystal that ran the Castle. You were pretty badly injured and unconscious. Hunk and Coran went to go get a new crystal, and Keith and Allura went to go help the Arusians who were being attacked. But it was all a diversion, and while you, me, and Pidge were in the Castle, Sendak and his remaining crew took over the Castle.”

Lance made a small noise of surprise, but stayed calm at Shiro’s glance, nodding. “What happened then?”

“I don’t know what happened to Pidge. She didn’t get spotted by the Galra, I don’t think. But we both got captured, and Sendak made me take them to Black. I had her take us to one of the Galra outpost ships, and then Sendak got us on a ship to transfer us here, to Zarkon’s main ship. While we were on our way, Black escaped. She going to go back to the Castle, she’s going to help them find us.”

“We’re on Zarkon’s main ship?”

Lance’s voice was small, scared, and Shiro’s heart ached for him.

He nodded. “Only temporarily. Sendak is still needed out on the front, so we’ll only be here until he gets a new ship. Then we’ll be transferred to that one with him.”

Lance was quiet, and Shiro rubbed his arm comfortingly, knowing that it was a lot to process. “I’m guessing that us getting transferred with him has to do with why I feel really funny and why we’re both dressed like strippers?”

Shiro bit his lip and then nodded very slowly.

“I didn’t remember this until Sendak took the Castle, but I was given to Sendak as a gift for some planet he conquered or something like that. I can’t remember. But the important part is that the Druids experimented on me and made me an omega. That’s why I went into heat that one time while we were at the Castle. It wasn’t that I’d always been an omega and my suppressants had finally worn off. It was that I hadn’t been an omega before Kerberos, and after Sendak, I was.”

Lance made a broken sound. “Is that…?”

Shiro nodded again, face apologetic. “Sendak asked Haggar to have the Druids change you too. You’re an omega now. Right now, we’re pretty much Sendak’s sex slaves.”

The tears in Lance’s eyes broke Shiro’s heart. He leaned forward, wiping his tears away with one hand and reaching out with his other to hold Lance’s hand.

“I know,” he whispered. “It’s terrifying. But I’ll walk you through it. It’s not going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination, but I remember what he likes. I’ll help you.”

“I don’t wanna do this, Shiro,” Lance cried softly. “I don’t know if I can.”

“I know. I know. It’s okay to cry, Lance. I’m here.”

Lance threw himself into Shiro’s arms, crying softly into his chest. Even now, freaking out the way he was, Shiro could tell that he was trying to keep himself quiet in case Sendak was nearby. Shiro shifted Lance to make him more comfortable, when Lance let out a tiny moan. Shiro pulled away a little bit, and Lance looked very confused, reaching back and feeling around, before his eyes widened in terror.

Shiro knew then that Lance had found the plug where it was nestled between his cheeks. Shiro himself had felt it as soon as he’d sat up. Sendak was partial to them because they meant that he’d be ready and open any time Sendak pleased. He pulled Lance in again, shushing him as his sobs got stronger.

He was only able to comfort Lance for a little longer when the door opened and Sendak strode in.

“Do what I do,” he whispered in Lance’s ear. “You can do this.”

Without another word, Shiro crawled off the bed they’d both been placed on, crawling up to Sendak and kneeling in front of him. He could feel and hear Lance timidly doing the same, and he prayed silently that Lance would be okay.

“Oh,” Sendak cooed sarcastically. “It seems one of my beautiful little omegas has been crying.”

He leaned down, cupping Lance’s face, and Shiro could see Lance holding his breath, not sure what to do. Sendak pulled Lance up a little by his jaw, making Lance grunt softly in pain, before licking away the tears that were still running down Lance’s face and dropping him.

“Are you unhappy, omega? Am I not enough for you?”

Lance looked at Shiro, obviously panicked, and Shiro shook his head slightly enough that he hoped Sendak didn’t catch it.

“O-of course you’re enough,” Lance whispered softly, voice shaky.

“I’m enough, what?”

Shiro could see Lance struggling with the words, having gone through life as a beta never thinking he’d have to say it.

“Of course you’re enough…” He hesitated again. “...Alpha.”

“So you  _ are _ teachable, little omega. Good. I was concerned that I would have to toss you out as a plaything for my underlings.”

Lance whimpered, and Sendak turned to Shiro.

“Do you enjoy being back with me, omega?”

Shiro nodded, leaning in to nuzzle at Sendak’s thighs. “I’ve missed you, Alpha.”

“Very good, omega. Now, don’t you think that crying has spoiled the mood a little bit?”

Shiro bit his lip, opening and closing his mouth. Disagreeing with Sendak was bad, but he also didn’t want to throw Lance under the bus.

“Remember, omega, you’re my favorite, so I won’t hurt you too much. This little one here though, he still needs to be broken in. And I think that giving your punishments to him when you disobey will do a spectacular job of speeding up that process, don’t you?”

Shiro’s mouth opened and closed a few more times, and he looked over at Lance. He closed his eyes and looked down, unable to look at Lance. He knew that this was betrayal, but he would rather betray Lance and keep him a little bit safer than stay loyal and cause him unnecessary hurt.

“You’re right, Alpha.”

He clearly heard Lance’s intake of breath, and he screwed his eyes shut even tighter. There was no way to win this, he reminded himself. Black was going back to the Castle. She would be there. She would get new Paladins, and she would help them. She would bring them help and rescue. But until then, they needed to survive. Survival meant hard decisions.

Sendak made a pleased noise above him.

“Do you think I should give him a reason to cry, omega?”

Shiro’s heart ached, a physical pain that took his breath away. God, he hoped Lance could forgive him.

“Yes, Alpha.”

No sooner than Shiro had whispered those words, he heard a loud slap crack in his ears. His eyes shot open, and he saw Lance on the ground, clutching his face. Sendak moved to loom above Lance, who scurried back, propping himself on his elbows and using them in tandem with his legs to move away.

Shiro watched in slow motion as Sendak leaned down, grabbing Lance’s leg and pulling him hard enough that Lance’s arms gave out under him, letting his head fall with a loud thunk as it hit the ground. Lance looked confused, scared, hurt, those emotions magnifying on his face as Sendak straddled him on the ground.

“Please, Alpha,” Lance begged, tears beginning anew as Sendak’s metal hand grasped at his throat. He gasped, face turning red as pressure was applied and he began to lose the ability to breathe.

Shiro whined, soft and high in the back of his throat, crawling over to Sendak. This way, in this moment, he was scared that Sendak might actually kill Lance.

Reaching out with a shaking hand, he touched Sendak’s flesh and blood arm, leaning up to scent him. Sendak’s head immediately snapped towards him, hand loosening on Lance’s neck, who immediately began softly begging for mercy.

“Alpha,” Shiro murmured demurely. “You don’t want to dispose of your new omega so soon after you’ve gotten him. Take me instead. Fuck me, fill me with your seed. Breed me, Alpha, and let him go for tonight.”

Sendak licked his lips, letting go of Lance to grab Shiro’s jaw roughly. Shiro winced slightly, but let Sendak press the sides of his mouth to open it. He obediently sucked on the fingers Sendak shoved into his mouth, tongue caressing his skin and fur and claws.

Sendak growled, pleased, and pulled his fingers out to rub them down Shiro’s neck.

“Get on the bed,” he ordered. “Present yourself.”

Shiro obeyed, shucking off the little clothes that he had on as he made his way up to the bed. He kneeled on the mattress, lowering his face into the sheets as he brought his hands back to hold himself open.

He could hear Lance catching his breath, coughing and wheezing, in the corner, as Sendak got up. Shiro felt and heard his heavy footsteps as Sendak approached the bed. Just like before when he'd been Sendak’s plaything, he imagined a faceless Alpha, one who was kind and good and teased him in the right ways to make him gush.

Sendak purred as he placed a hand on the small of Shiro’s back, leaning down to bite his shoulder blade. The skin broke easily under his teeth, and Sendak lapped up the first wellings of the blood.

Shiro whimpered into the sheets, opening his mouth to get some more air and tilting his head to the side. He saw Lance, staring at him with wide eyes, bruises already bloomed on his delicate throat. Lance looked scared, and Shiro wanted so bad to comfort him.

Instead, he gasped as Sendak pulled out the plug. He could feel his slick dripping down his thighs, thick and clear. His eyes scrunched shut in disgust as Sendak licked it all up, purring into his skin. Still, as soon as Sendak’s tongue pressed against his hole, he forced himself to moan, to press back and act like he wanted it.

Sendak swatted Shiro’s hands away, holding him open himself, and Shiro brought his hands up to either side of his head, clenching and unclenching the sheets rhythmically.

“Oh, Alpha,” he gasped, arching his back beautifully. “ _ Yes _ . Thank you, Alpha. You make me feel so good.”

He babbled as Sendak kept eating him out, rolling his body up and pushing back onto his face. Sendak, for his part, was spurred on by the pleas, getting more enthusiastic until, even with the disgust Shiro was feeling, he was close to coming.

He gasped loudly, pushing himself up just a little. “Alpha, please. I'm gonna come. I want you to come first.”

Sendak pulled away, grabbing Shiro’s hair and tugging on it so Shiro’s back was curved tightly, almost pressing him in half. Sendak breathed heavily against Shiro’s ear, nibbling on his earlobe. “Do you want me to knot you, omega?”

Shiro moaned brokenly, licking his chapped lips and nodding as best as he could. “Please, Alpha. Split me open on your knot. Tie me to your bed and keep me all plugged up, open and ready for your cock all the time.”

“Oh, you're so tempting, my sweet little omega,” Sendak purred, pressing his hand against Shiro’s neck and dragging his claws lightly against the skin there.

“I have to admit, as lovely as you look split open on my knot, you took me away from my other omega before I got my fill of squeezing a pretty little neck. Can I do yours? Cut off your air while I fuck you and make you beg for my knot?”

Shiro swallowed hard, and he knew Sendak could feel it because the Galra chuckled darkly into his ear. “I can always go back to what I was doing before and then come knot you afterwards anyways.”

Shiro shook his head. “No, Alpha. I'm here for you. Whatever you want to do to me, you can.”

“Good.”

Shiro found himself being flipped over, legs hooked over Sendak’s shoulders. He felt the press of Sendak’s cock against his hole and he forced himself to relax. It was the only way he wouldn't feel like he was getting torn in two.

Sendak bottomed out in one quick movement, punching Shiro’s breath out of him. He wasted no time in pounding into him, chasing his own pleasure. Shiro moaned and whimpered and begged for more the way that Sendak expected from him.

Soon, Sendak’s warm hand pressed against his neck, putting pressure and slowly cutting off his air. Shiro gasped, trying to keep his breathing even, though it was hard with the way Sendak was fucking into him. The pressure increased gradually, until he was scrabbling at Sendak’s hand with his own, mouth opening and closing as he gasped for air that wasn't coming.

Sendak's face above his was pleased, taking joy in his fear, before letting go just enough to let him catch his breath. He gasped and coughed, whimpering. Still, he knew what was expected of him. “Please, Alpha. More.”

The cycle repeated, with Sendak cutting off his air slowly, only to let him breathe just long enough to beg for more. Each time his air cut off, his whole body tensed, and he could tell it brought more pleasure to Sendak, whose thrusts would become harder, deeper, rougher.

Eventually, he felt Sendak’s knot forming, pushing at the rim of his hole with every thrust until, with one solid push, it popped into him, locking them together. Shiro could tell that Sendak was close to coming, when suddenly, with no build up, all his air was cut off. He jerked in surprise, struggling under Sendak’s grip. Sendak, for his part, kept grinding softly into Shiro’s body, pushing himself closer and closer to coming.

Black spots started forming around Shiro’s vision, and his struggles got progressively weaker. Shiro was legitimately scared that he was going to pass out when, thankfully, Sendak finally came. He could feel Sendak’s knot pulsing, filling him with come. The hand around his throat pulled away, and Shiro coughed and wheezed, pulling precious air back into his lungs.

Sendak stayed there propped up above Shiro until his knot receded, biting and kissing all over Shiro’s skin until more skin was bruised and mottled than not.

No sooner than he had pulled out, Sendak grabbed the plug he had abandoned on the bed, rolling it in the slick and come that were leaking out of Shiro before pressing it in. Pleased with his work, Sendak got up off the bed and started fixing up his clothes, cleaning himself up to look presentable.

“I'm needed at a meeting soon,” he informed Shiro. “Clean the other one up. And make sure he knows what's expected of him. He won't last long otherwise.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Shiro watched as Sendak left, and as soon as the door closed behind him, he bolted to Lance.


	2. Chapter 2

With Sendak gone, Shiro was filled with an overwhelming need to check on Lance, see how he was holding up. Sendak had been so cruel, much crueler than when he'd been breaking Shiro in, and it made him nauseous. He didn't want to think about what might have happened if he hadn't stepped in and taken Sendak’s attention onto himself.

He hissed as he got off of the bed. Moving hurt. All the places where Sendak had bitten him were stinging, not to mention the fact that his throat and ass were sore. Still, he ignored all of that in favor of his Pride member. Lance was more important that his pain.

He stopped in front of Lance, reaching up to cup his face softly. Lance closed his eyes, leaning into the touch. He looked so unsure, a little scared, and it broke Shiro’s heart. In that moment, he wanted to wrap Lance in a blanket and protect him from the universe. Yes, Lance was strong. But that didn't mean that he should need to be strong when it came to this.

“I'm sorry, Lance,” he croaked, regret filling him. “I'm so sorry I ever let him lay a hand on you, but I didn't want to make it worse for you. Can you forgive me please? Are you okay? What do you need?”

Lance stared silently at Shiro, eyes opening wide and mouth dropping open. His silence made Shiro uncomfortable, but he didn't want to push for an apology if he didn't deserve it. Lance stared at him for a little longer before bursting into sudden hysterical laughter. Shiro watched him carefully, unsure how to react or how to feel about what was happening. His concern ratcheted up  when he realized that the laughter was starting to be mixed with sobs.

“Lance?” Shiro was genuinely scared that Lance was already cracking. He couldn't have that. Lance needed to stay safe, stay sane. He was Shiro’s tether, his reminder not to get lost. He wasn't about to put that pressure on Lance. But he could still try to make sure that he was okay.

“Shiro,” Lance breathed, voice so reverent that Shiro’s chest tightened, reaching up and cupping Shiro’s face in return. “How could you ever think you need my forgiveness? You saved me.”

He smiled, the expression a little broken, and Shiro couldn't help but stroke along Lance's cheekbone, trying to comfort him in some way. He remembered how he'd been having a conversation about Lance with Keith, and Keith had told Shiro that Lance had had a celebrity crush of sorts on him for as long as Keith had known Lance. It had made Shiro blush and stammer at the time, baffled by the idea of Lance admiring him before he even knew of Lance's existence.

Still, in this moment, Shiro could see that admiration. He held onto that, hoping that Lance having someone so important to him would keep him sane. He knew that Lance was that important person for him.

“I just did what had to be done.”

“What had to be done?” Lance's voice was incredulous. “Shiro, you let that monster  _ rape _ you. You let him fuck you into that mattress, you pretended to want it. All because you were trying to protect me. How could I ever be mad at you after that?”

Shiro leaned in, pressing his forehead against Lance’s and closing his eyes. Lance pressed back, pressing even closer, and Shiro took comfort in his solid presence. “Lance, you're part of my Pride. You're smart and funny. You’re complex, and caring, and amazing. I have a vested interest in making sure that you get through this in one piece, because I want to keep you fighting by my side until we’re both old and gray. All that you saw, I've done before. I've done worse, even. And I did those things to save myself. How could I ever even think about hesitating when it's you that I'm protecting?”

Lance’s face crumbled, tears running down his face again, and Shiro brushed them away. “Come on,” he murmured. “Cry now, because I can't guarantee that you'll be able to cry later. Sendak isn't the type to enjoy tears. They mainly just annoy him, if earlier was any indication.”

He ran a hand through Lance’s hair, petting him and scratching his scalp. Lance, for his part, seemed to relax some at the touch, pursing his lips together and trying to stifle his cries. Shiro felt a tendril of pride unfurl in his chest. Already, Lance was being strong, being a Paladin. Shiro hoped desperately that it would be enough.

“I'm sorry that I didn't think of that earlier,” he apologized, guilt resurfacing as he saw the finger shaped bruises on Lance’s neck out of the corner of his eye. “Maybe if I'd thought ahead, you wouldn't have gotten hurt.”

Lance shook his head, grabbing onto Shiro’s other hand where it was still cupping his cheek. He pressed his face even further into the hand, closing his eyes and turning his head to press kisses into Shiro’s palm. “You couldn't have known,” he whispered. “I don't imagine that you cried a lot before, when he had you during that year.”

“You're right. I didn't. Still, I want you to know that that doesn't mean you're weak for crying. It takes a certain strength to be weak. I wish I had that.”

Lance looked up at him in wonder, unshed tears stuck in his his eyes. Shiro smiled fondly at him and pressed a soft kiss on Lance’s cheek, using his free hand to try and pull Lance up with him as he started to get off the floor. 

“Come on,” he murmured. “Let's go over to the couch. I'll be able to check on you a little bit better there.”

Lance followed him easily, and they sat on the couch facing each other. Shiro gently ran his hands along Lance’s neck and face, checking to make sure there wasn't anything immediately wrong that he could see. He kept his touch gentle but firm, aware of how sore and tender Lance’s neck must be.

Lance winced when he got to the bruises on his neck from where Sendak had choked him, and Shiro hissed in sympathy. He'd gotten lucky because Sendak had used his biological arm to choke him. Poor Lance had had the bad luck of getting choked with Sendak’s bionic arm.

He somehow knew that it had been entirely intentional on Sendak’s part.

Shiro pressed all around the bruises, checking Lance’s pulse, pressing into the more tender spots to make sure nothing had torn or broken. All the while, Lance stayed perfectly still, letting Shiro maneuver him as needed.

Shiro finished checking up on Lance and maneuvered them so that Lance was sitting in Shiro’s lap, head tucked under Shiro’s chin. “I'm pretty sure he didn't hurt you badly enough to cause permanent damage.”

“What about you?”Lance mumbled. “I can look you over. You're all covered in blood and God knows what else.”

Shiro shook his head, pressing a gentle kiss into Lance’s hair. “I'm okay. He's not going to hurt me too badly.” He silently added that he didn't want Lance to have to clean his dried slick and Sendak’s dried come off of him. He would probably be allowed to bathe later anyways.

“As sad as it is, I know how to make him happy, and because of that I don't have to worry about him hurting me too badly. You, though. You I have to watch out for. Sendak isn't the most patient Galra in the universe, so right now my focus is turning you into someone that he wants to keep.”

Lance whimpered, holding onto Shiro a little tighter. “Are we ever going to get out of here, Shiro?”

Shiro made a small, comforting noise in response, burying his face in Lance’s hair. “Of course we will. I talked to Black on our way here. She and Blue are going to try and find new Paladins temporarily, and when they do they're going to come break us out. My connection with Black is strong enough that we can still feel each other, and she's doing everything she can. They're going to come for us. I just know it.”

Lance nodded. “So we just survive until then?”

“Exactly.”

Shiro felt Lance shift in his arms, and he shifted with him to try and make him more comfortable. “Shiro?”

“Yeah?”

“What can I do to make myself more appealing to Sendak? I don't…” He trailed off, and Shiro felt him swallow. “I don't want to keep getting hurt like that.”

Shiro frowned, chest hurting. He wished so badly that he could spare Lance this fate. Still, it was in both their interests that Lance know Sendak’s like and dislikes, and be a pleasing omega. “Be submissive, mostly. Cater to his every whim. Never disobey him. Always be ready to bend over for him.”

Lance nodded, and Shiro could hear the gears in his head turning. There was his smart Paladin. “Anything else?”

Shiro hesitated. “There is one big way that you'd instantly be spared beatings. But it's not something you should worry about.”

Lance pulled away, looking at Shiro dead on. “Please, Shiro,” he begged, grabbing onto Shiro’s shoulders and squeezing desperately. “How do I stop this?”

Shiro gulped, looking away. He didn't want to tell Lance. He didn't want to put him through that. But, he also knew that Lance deserved every piece of information that Shiro knew, and that it was his choice. Somewhat, at least.

“Galra… They have fertility problems. It's a rarely spoken of shame that all Galra carry. That's why most of their army consists of drones. Because of that, they highly value any and all cubs and those carrying them. If you could get pregnant, you would automatically be boosted to a precious rank in Sendak’s eyes, and he'd treat you like a queen until you delivered.”

Lance stared. “Pregnant? I can't get pregnant. I'm a guy!”

“You're male, yes. But you're a male omega. I know quite personally that we have wombs and birthing canals and everything needed to carry a baby.”

“Personally?” Lance voice was tinged with horror, and, for a second, Shiro berated himself for being so vague and making Lance jump to the wrong conclusion.

“Not like that. I've never been pregnant. But Haggar herself used to look me over from time to time, since I’m the creation of her Druids. She showed me everything.”

Lance nodded, face determined. “Okay. So. If I get pregnant, Sendak won't beat me anymore?”

“That's true. But for now, we're going to make sure that you're pleasing in general, because getting pregnant isn't guaranteed. It's actually a pretty low chance of happening.”

“Is that why Sendak…” Lance trailed off, motioning towards Shiro’s crotch. “When he was done?”

“Why he plugged me with his come?”

Lance nodded, blushing brightly.

“Yeah.” Shiro looked down. “He's obsessed with getting an omega pregnant. That's why asking him to 'breed me’ was so effective. He loves it when you remind him that you can give him a child.”

“Okay.”

Lance sounded overwhelmed, distant, and Shiro lightly tugged on him. He willingly curled back up into Shiro’s arms, tucking his head under Shiro’s jaw. Shiro smiled, rubbing his back. He just wanted Lance to feel safe. Warm. Loved.

Shiro could hear Lance's panicked breathing and soft sobs as he suddenly broke down again, albeit much less intensely, and he rocked them both, still rubbing Lance's back. He tried staying calm, hoping that deep breaths and a strong solid heartbeat would help calm Lance down.

Luckily, it worked, and before he knew it, Lance was asleep. Shiro could only imagine how Lance looked in that moment, but he'd stumbled on Lance napping in the lounge a few times before, and he always looked so peaceful, young, and vulnerable when he slept. He hoped that he was still able to look that way now.

Shiro listened to Lance's soft snores for a little bit, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the headrest of the couch. He reached out with his mind, trying to find Black through their bond. She responded quickly, concerned that something was wrong. He smiled as she gave him the mental equivalent of licking one of her kittens clean, and he sent her a hug, holding onto her and letting her wash reassurance and love over him.

His eyebrows raised in slight shock when she told him that she'd already found her new Paladin, and smiled fondly when she showed him Allura. He saw the moment when Black arrived back at the Castle, saw Allura, strong, tall, beautiful Allura, commanding his Paladins with grace and strength, just like always. He felt Black’s internal relief that there was already a good leader here, even if Black still preferred Shiro. Shiro’s smile widened, and Black headbutted him gently, reminding him not to let it get to his head. He watched even further as Black bowed to Allura, forming a light bond and conveying to her what had happened.

One thing Shiro hadn’t stopped to prepare for was the grief that Allura and the other Paladins would feel when they learned exactly where they had been taken. He was thankful that Black spared them the more gory details, however.

Shiro gently asked if Blue had found anyone, and Black responded with the mental image of Blue mourning the loss of her Paladin. Poor Blue, Black lamented. She loved her tiny, brash, insecure yet confident, flirtatious Paladin. She didn’t want to pick a new Paladin, that felt like she was trying to replace him. Blue wanted Lance, she wanted him steering her and protecting the ones he loved. She wanted his laughter and his joy and his fear and love. 

Shiro understood. Black worked through her pain by moving forward. Blue would need some more pushing. Both he and Black agreed that she needed some more time, and that when she found someone to help her through her pain, that she would be strong like Lance and push forward. Black offhandedly pushed the idea to Shiro that the Yellow Paladin wanted to go back and rescue the Balmera they had used to get the Crystal for the Castle, and maybe Blue could find someone there. There was a whole planet of beings, after all.

Shiro let her know that he didn't blame Blue, that he was worried about Lance too. He sent Black the mental image of Lance’s breakdown, of how Sendak had treated it. He confided in her just how scared he was that Lance would lose himself, that he'd break and come back as just a shadow of the man they all knew and loved.

Black responded with the same amount of concern, but also a wave of reassurance that she would help out as best she could. Shiro could sense in that moment that Black was cooking up a little plan, and he sent her a wave of love and fondness. She responded in kind. He thanked her for being there for him, and mentally curled up in their bond, letting himself finally rest.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, just as a small heads up, there could be some concern over the scene in this chapter. But while there is external pressure, the consent is real, even if the situation isn't ideal.

Shiro woke up to the door opening again, and internally panicked. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep, much less in such a compromising position. Still, it was too late to fix that now, and he looked up at Sendak where he had come to stand over them.

Sendak’s chuckle was cruel. “Now then, omega. You didn’t just spend this whole time coddling the little brat, did you? You know he’ll never learn that way.”

He stared up at Sendak, not saying a word. He knew it would be better to not speak than to get caught in a lie. Sendak stared back down at the both of them, head cocking to the side as he took in the way Shiro was wrapped around Lance, and the way that Lance was curled into Shiro.

“It seems that the brat is quite attached to you, isn’t he?”

Shiro gulped.

“ _ Isn’t he _ ?”

He nodded, licking his lips to try and get some moisture on them. Considering how dry his mouth was, it didn’t do much to help. “Yes, Alpha.”

Sendak turned on his heel, making an uncaring hand motion. “Well, wake the brat up. It’s time for your dinner.”

Shiro watched Sendak walk away, and he moved up, softly shaking Lance.

“Lance,” he whispered urgently. “Wake up. Come on.”

“Huh?” Lance’s voice was groggy, still scratchy from earlier, and he opened his swollen eyes slowly.

“Sendak’s back,” Shiro whispered. “He says it’s time for us to eat.”

Lance’s entire body tensed, and Shiro rubbed his sides soothingly. “It’s okay, Lance. Just follow my lead, and act as provocative as you can. He likes it when he gets in the mood for ‘entertainment’ after dinner.”

Lance nodded, looking at Shiro with wide eyes. Shiro took a few deep breaths, making Lance mimic him. As soon as Lance was calmer, he led him to where Sendak was waiting.

“Remember. You’re a Paladin of Voltron. You can do this,” Shiro whispered to him, before kneeling fluidly at Sendak’s feet.

Lance followed suit, and Shiro felt proud at how easily it looked like it was coming to him. Sendak watched him curiously from where he was sitting at the dinner table, obviously waiting for Lance to slip up.

“Welcome back, Alpha,” Shiro murmured, bowing his head. Lance mimicked him, repeating the phrase submissively.

Sendak leaned down, ruffling both Shiro and Lance’s hair. Shiro saw, out of the corner of his eye, the way Lance tensed up for the smallest second, before actually leaning into the touch and turning his head to kiss the palm of Sendak’s hand. Sendak hummed, obviously surprised, and Shiro smiled up at Sendak, only half fake.

“Good omega,” Sendak conceded, and Lance preened, obviously relieved.

The Galra snorted softly, almost seeming amused, and Shiro relaxed. It looked like Sendak was in a much better mood than when he’d arrived earlier. Probably because he’d gotten to knot him, Shiro mused.

“Your water bowls are right here.” Sendak motioned to the ground at his feet.

Shiro looked down, seeing his old bowl filled with fresh water. Lance visibly balked at the idea of drinking out of a bowl on the floor, but Shiro nudged him softly and he snapped out of it. Making sure that Lance could see what he was doing, Shiro leaned down onto his hands and knees, moving his head to get the right angle and starting to lap up the water.

God, but it felt so good to finally get some water down his parched throat, and he moaned softly. He paused in drinking up the water, looking over at Lance. Lance was watching him, something like pain in his eyes, and Shiro pursed his lips, looking away. He knew how it looked. It was shameful, a human being drinking out of a bowl like some sort of animal. But he had to drink somehow.

A soft head gently butted at his arm, and he looked over. Lance was smiling sweetly at him, leaning in to nuzzle at his jaw. “I’m not judging you,” he whispered. “Can you teach me how to do that? I don’t want to make a mess.”

Something tight in Shiro’s chest loosened up, and he nuzzled Lance back, nodding. Lance pulled away, parking himself at his bowl, and Shiro showed him how he lowered himself, almost like an extended push up. He nodded when Lance did it correctly, before sticking his tongue out at him. He slowly showed Lance how he flattened his tongue and dipped it into the water, bending it to pull some water up into his mouth.

Lance tried it out himself, frowning and wiping his face when his hand slipped and he fell a little bit into the bowl. Shiro snorted, and Lance stuck his tongue out at Shiro playfully. Still smiling, Shiro moved his bowl closer to Lance’s, pressing right up against him and showing him again. This time, Lance seemed to get it, and they both dug in, enjoying the cool water.

They got their fills, and Lance playfully nudged his head into Shiro’s shoulder before they both sat up. Their eyes widened as they realized that Sendak had been watching them the entire time, and they looked at each other before looking back up at him.

Sendak snorted, shaking his head. “You two. You’re very close.”

They both nodded. “Yes, Alpha.”

Sendak speared a piece of meat on one of his claws, offering it to Shiro, who took the whole finger into his mouth, sucking off the meat and licking his claw clean before pulling away and eating. He gave Lance a piece too, and Lance did his best to do as well as Shiro had, although he was a bit awkward with it. Still, Sendak made a pleased sound in the back of his throat, and Lance kissed Sendak’s hand as he fed him the next piece.

“We’re going to try something new here,” Sendak murmured after a few moments.

“What would you like us to do, Alpha?” Lance asked.

Sendak looked pleased.

“Come here, omega,” he murmured, pointing at Shiro.

Shiro took the command, shuffling up even closer to Sendak, who held a piece of fruit out on his claw.

“Take this in your mouth, omega. But only take half of it. You, brat.” At this, he motioned to Lance. “Take the other half from his mouth.”

Shiro leaned in, gently taking the fruit into his mouth, leaving a little bit sticking out from his lips. He turned to Lance, who looked up at Sendak. Sendak nodded, motioning for him to continue. Shiro could see the blush spreading over Lance’s face as he leaned in. They both tilted their heads to the side, not wanting to bump into each other’s faces. Shiro could feel Lance’s breath fanning over his face and he leaned in, skin itching with anticipation. Sendak might not be very attractive to him, but kissing Lance wouldn’t be a hardship in the least.

The press of Lance’s lips against his as Lance bit off his piece of the fruit was surprising in how… pure it felt. The fruit tore easily under Lance’s teeth, and some juice dribbled down both of their chins. As Lance chewed, Shiro could see how his eyes had darkened, then how they lit up with an idea.

The next thing he knew, Lance’s tongue was swiping its way up his chin, lapping up all the juice. His heart rate skyrocketed, and Shiro couldn’t help but grasp Lance’s face, leaning in to return the favor before capturing Lance’s lips in a hungry kiss.

Lance’s sweet little whimper into his mouth made him feel hot, his skin tight. He could tell that, despite all of Lance’s flirting, his experience was low based on the way that Lance’s kisses were enthusiastic but sloppy. He slowed their kisses, showing Lance just what felt good.

Shiro couldn’t help but nibble on Lance’s lower lip, slowly dragging the skin through his teeth. Lance gasped, grasping Shiro’s shoulders and leaning up into his mouth.

They broke apart at the sound of clapping, chests heaving, eyes wide, lips just a touch swollen. Sendak had a hungry look on his face, and he reached his hand forward, a larger piece of fruit on his claw.

“Show me what you taught him, omega.”

This time, Lance leaned forward to take the fruit, and he pulled Shiro down on top of him as he laid down on the floor. Shiro propped himself over Lance, running his nose up Lance’s neck to his ear.

“Do you really want this? I can distract him with something else if you don’t want this.”

Lance shook his head, grabbing Shiro’s head and maneuvering him so that Shiro’s lips hovered just above the fruit. Shiro could see clearly in Lance’s eyes that Lance preferred this, and his eyes asked a silent question. Was Shiro okay with this?

Instead of answering, Shiro leaned down, biting down into the fruit. This time, the juice mostly spilled down Lance’s skin, over his chin, jaw, and neck. Shiro wasted no time in swallowing the fruit, barely tasting it in his eagerness to get the juice off of Lance’s skin. He could feel Lance’s soft moan through the skin of his neck as he licked and sucked his way up the trails of juice. The way Lance’s jaw worked as he chewed up the fruit hypnotized Shiro, and he spent his time on Lance’s jaw, mouthing at the skin there.

“Shiro, please,” Lance whimpered. “I want to kiss you again.”

How could Shiro say no to that? He pressed open mouthed kisses up his jaw, before finally kissing him again. Lance’s body was so sweet and pliant beneath him, and Shiro briefly wondered why they’d never done this when they were still at the Castle.

Still, he supposed he was doing it now. He never wanted to stop.

“You can stop now, omega.”

Shiro froze, letting his head fall into the crook of Lance’s neck. God, but he’d wanted to take Lance apart. He thought that maybe Lance would have let him too.

As if he’d heard Shiro’s thought, Lance whined, grabbing onto Shiro’s shoulders and arching against him. “Please, Shiro.”

“That’s enough, brat.” Sendak’s tone was firm, but not angry, and Lance pouted but let Shiro sit up.

“Don’t worry, brat, you’ll get fucked soon enough. But before that, you both need a full meal and some more water.” He put a larger piece of meat, as well as some pieces of fruit and what looked to be vegetables, on a smaller plate and set it on the ground.

“Share that, and then when you’re done, go wait for me on the bed.”

Shiro and Lance both nodded, and when Shiro picked up the plate of food, Lance moved to settle himself in Shiro’s lap. He blinked at Lance, a little surprised, but nodded when Lance gave him a shy little smile. The plate was placed in Lance’s lap, and they each tore apart the different foods, feeding each other and sucking the excess off each other’s fingers and lips.

Shiro knew, quite theoretically, that this whole thing was for Sendak’s pleasure, but it definitely had him feeling good, and he hoped Lance did too. That was when Lance shifted in his lap, and he could feel, even with the plug and the thin clothes Lance still had on, the warm heat of slick against his thigh.

He remembered his early days as an omega, remembered just how easy it had been to make him produce slick, but he also knew that if Lance wasn’t just as into this as he was, he wouldn’t be leaking with the plug inside of him. Even so, he wanted Lance’s verbal consent.

“Lance,” he murmured into his ear, nuzzling the spot beneath his earlobe. “Do you want this? I need to hear your honest answer.”

Lance hummed, turning and pressing kisses into Shiro’s jaw up to the shell of his ear. “I want this, Shiro. I want  _ you _ . I want you to be the first one to make me gush, the first one to make me come, on your cock or your fingers or your mouth, or whatever you want.”

Shiro ran his hands up Lance’s sides, burying his face in his neck and kissing his way up it, shaking with need. His cock was hard, full of blood and hot. When he shifted slightly, it pressed into Lance's thigh, and he savored the little squeak Lance made when he felt it. 

Shiro took the last piece of fruit off of the plate, handing it to Lance. Lance licked it up, making eye contact with Shiro the whole time. He felt a shiver run down his spine, body tingling.

Lance set the plate down on the ground, scooting off of Shiro’s lap and crawling over to his water bowl. He lapped at the water, and Shiro joined him, pressing their shoulders together. His skin felt alive with electricity. The anticipation was killing him. He really just wanted to press Lance into the bed and take him apart. He wanted to be the first to make Lance moan and cry out his name.

They sat up when they heard Sendak grab the plate they’d eaten off of. Shiro turned, crawling up to Sendak and resting his chin on Sendak’s thigh. “Thank you, Alpha.”

Sendak smiled, ruffling Shiro’s hair and pressing a clawed finger into his slightly swollen lips. “This isn’t for you, omega. You’ll enjoy yourself I’m sure, but remember that I want a good show. I’m tired after today, so I can’t knot you both the way I want. This is the second best option.”

Shiro nodded. “Understood, Alpha. What would you like me to do to him?”

Sendak considered it for a moment. “Eat him out until he’s begging, then fuck him on your fingers until he comes. You can come on him if you want, but not in him. That’s  _ mine _ .”

“Yes, Alpha.”

“Good omega.” He ruffled Shiro’s hair again. “Now go on. Go warm him up for me.”

Shiro nodded enthusiastically, and he turned to Lance, picking him up and carrying him over to the bed. Lance’s squeak of surprise was adorable, and his face was beautifully open as Shiro lowered him down onto the bed. Shiro leaned down, nuzzling the bruises Sendak had left behind earlier in the day and kissing them in apology again. In turn, Lance reached up, pulling Shiro’s face closer to his.

He smiled serenely up at Shiro, licking his lips invitingly. Shiro took the hint, kissing Lance sweetly. He licked into Lance’s mouth, suckling briefly on his tongue as his hands pushed Lance’s shirt up, exposing all his smooth, delicious looking skin. Pulling away just barely long enough to pull Lance’s shirt off was beyond difficult, but he did it, and immediately swooped down to kiss Lance some more.

He grabbed onto Lance’s legs, firmly grasping his thighs and pulling them up to wrap around his waist. Lance was beautifully responsive, gasping into Shiro’s mouth and rolling their hips together sinuously. Shiro was very vividly reminded of the times he’d seen Lance dancing, and how delicious the rolling of his hips made his ass look.

His hands moved up Lance’s thighs, grabbing onto his ass and squeezing. He felt the way the thin, now transparent fabric was wet and sticky, clinging to Lance’s skin. The smell of Lance’s slick filtered through the air, and it made Shiro groan. An omega being turned on by another omega was uncommon, but the attraction he’d held for Lance before Lance’s transformation probably helped. He remembered an off-handed comment Keith had made once about how Lance had adored Shiro for years, and Shiro thought that maybe, that helped Lance too.

If Lance was going to lose his virginity to his celebrity crush, Shiro would make sure that he was well satisfied.

The soft, high-pitched gasp Lance made into Shiro’s mouth as Shiro teased at his hole over the fabric was beautiful, and Shiro rewarded him with a firmer press. Lance’s hips canted up, his lips parting sweetly under Shiro’s mouth. As Shiro began pulling Lance’s pants down, he kissed his way under Lance’s chin, biting at the soft skin there as Lance willingly bared his neck to him.

“Shiro, please,” Lance begged. Shiro could feel his voice through the soft skin of his throat and moaned, imagining how it would feel if he had his dick down Lance’s throat.

“ _ Shiro _ ,” Lance whined, grasping at his shoulders.

Shiro pulled away from Lance’s throat to look at him, sure that his fondness was written on every inch of his face. “Yes, Lance?”

Lance’s fingers dug into his skin, and desperation was written in every minute detail of his face. “Please, Shiro. Touch me. I need you to touch me.”

Shiro’s fingers pressed against his hole over the fabric again, tracing a finger over the stretched out rim where the plug held him open. “But I  _ am _ touching you.”

“Oh fuck you,” he gasped, muscles twitching under his touch.

“Patience yields focus, Paladin,” Shiro murmured playfully.

“Patience? I’ve never met her.”

Lance pushed his ass back down onto Shiro’s fingers. “I just really need you to fuck me. Any way possible. I just need something of yours  _ in me _ already.”

Shiro leaned down, mouthing up against Lance’s jaw, smiling into his skin. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

“Not before you make me come, dammit.”

Shiro laughed, finally hooking his thumbs in Lance’s pants, pulling his hips up so he could take them off. Then Lance was finally, blessedly, fully naked under Shiro. Shiro pulled away long enough to admire Lance’s body, the curves and angles and especially his cock. He licked his lips when he saw that Lance was uncut, and he wanted nothing more than to let Lance fuck his throat with it.

Lance squirmed underneath him, face and chest blooming in an even deeper blush. “Stop staring,” he murmured.

“But why?”

Lance bit his lip, looking away. “I just get self conscious.”

“There’s no room for self consciousness when you’re putting on a show for me.”

Lance and Shiro both jumped in surprise at the sudden voice that hadn’t belonged to either of them. They both looked over, seeing Sendak sitting in a plush chair and facing them. He motioned brusquely for them to continue, and Shiro looked down at Lance.

He nodded up at Shiro, but all the comfort from earlier had blown away. Shiro leaned down, nosing along his earlobe as his hands stroked up Lance’s thighs. “Forget he’s here,” Shiro whispered. “Just focus on me, okay?”

Lance whimpered, reaching up to grab Shiro’s head and look him in the eyes. “I can try.”

Shiro smiled at him, leaning down to kiss him sweetly. “You’re so good for me.”

His hands wandered to the base of the plug. Now that Sendak was back, he figured that he could probably pull it out now. Sendak’s soft and approving noise made Lance stiffen slightly, but Shiro distracted him by twisting the plug inside of him.

Lance gasped underneath him, hands reaching up to clutch at Shiro’s shoulders. Shiro ran his lips softly across Lance’s neck, fingers deftly grasping the base of the plug.

“I’m going to move now,” Shiro whispered. “I’m going to make my way between your legs and eat you out. Sound good.”

A huge whoosh of air left Lance’s lungs, and he looked stunned. “Oh god. Shiro,  _ please _ .”

Shiro smiled, before kissing his way down Lance’s body. As he did, he kept on playing with the plug, twisting it and shallowly fucking him with it. Lance started gasping softly each time it pushed in and out of his body, soft little noises that sounded like they were being punched out of him.

He let go only when he was between Lance’s legs, hiking them up to give him better access. Making eye contact with Lance, he smiled. “You do yoga, right?”

Lance nodded, eyes wide.

“Want to show off how flexible you are?”

A light seemed to flicker on behind Lance’s eyes, and that ever flirtatious smile graced his lips. He lifted his legs, grabbing onto them and hitching them up behind his head.

Shiro whistled softly, eyes flicking to Sendak, who had leaned forward a little bit in awe. Lance looked back up at Shiro, biting his lip.

“This good?”

“You’re perfect.”

Shiro took in the blissed out change that took over Lance’s expression as he grabbed the plug one final time, pulling it out slowly. His eyes drifted down Lance’s body, then to his hole. It was wet and swollen, still a little open from the plug. What had his cock throbbing hard, though, was the trail of slick leaking out.

The sheets beneath Lance were  _ soaked _ , slick covering his brown skin and glistening under the light. Shiro’s mouth watered at the smell, a hint of cinnamon and sweetness, overlaid by a warm, musky smell that was so potent Shiro could almost taste it. It was the smell of fertility, of an omega just  _ begging _ to be bred, and though Shiro wasn’t an Alpha, he was in no way immune to it.

“ _ Shiro _ ,” Lance gasped again, and Shiro’s eyes shot up to Lance. Beautiful, pliant Lance, whose legs were shaking from the strain of being stretched so far, whose face and chest were covered in a deep red flush, whose lips were swollen and wet, not unlike his hole. Shiro wanted to devour Lance, wanted to make him moan and beg and cry.

But right now, he just really wanted to taste Lance.

He leaned down, blowing air lightly over Lance’s hole, licking his lips when it quivered. Done restraining himself, he buried his face there, lapping up all the slick that was just dripping out of him.

Lance gasped loudly, a guttural moan escaping him. He seemingly let go of his legs, because they fell over Shiro’s shoulders, and moments later, Lance’s hands came down to pull his asscheeks apart and hold himself open for Shiro. Shiro moaned into the skin there, loving how it just made Lance leak more.

He took moments to take small breaks, keep up his endurance, and also to lick up the rest of the slick that was coating Lance’s thighs. Shiro couldn’t help but sink his teeth into the meat of Lance’s inner thigh, grinning at the loud and high-pitched keen that left Lance’s mouth at the sudden burst of pain.

Lance was so good, so responsive underneath him, and Shiro loved how good he tasted. Soon enough, his hands replaced Lance’s, and Lance took the opportunity to bury his hands in Shiro’s hair. He quickly seemed to realize that Shiro had a thing for having his hair pulled, because he was tugging it in all the ways that made Shiro’s body sing.

Shiro didn’t stop until Lance’s entire body was shaking underneath him, Lance begging unintelligibly. He loved the way Lance’s voice got high and breathy, especially the closer and closer he got to coming.

He kept it up, until Lance’s body screamed that he was on the verge of coming, before pulling up and away from him.

Lance growled in frustration, hips bucking beneath Shiro, and his hands let go of Shiro’s hair to slam into the sheets and clutch at them to give his bucking hips more purchase.

“Shiro, pleasepleasepleaseplease,” he begged. “I just want to come. I’m so fucking close. Why’d you stop? Shiro. I need you. Need you so much.”

Shiro pressed apologetic kisses into Lance’s thighs, tilting his head to look at Sendak. Sendak nodded, making a crude gesture that Shiro couldn’t mistake.

He nodded minutely and turned back to Lance, who hadn’t noticed the exchange, caught up in his denial of pleasure. Pressing more kisses into Lance’s skin, Shiro moved his fingers to press into Lance, just two at first.

Lance whimpered. “ _ Yes _ ,” he moaned. “More. Please, Shiro.”

Shiro complied, slipping in a third finger without much effort. Lance’s pleased moan was obvious, and he twisted his fingers inside of Lance, intent on making him come the way he’d been begging for. Lance’s hips pressed down, obviously trying to get him deeper. He ran his fingers across the hot, wet slickness inside Lance, searching for his prostate.

The electric way Lance reacted when he found it, the way he gasped silently and his eyes widened, it all made Shiro groan. He teased the area around Lance’s prostate, making his pattern unpredictable, but pressing on it enough that he knew Lance was getting closer and closer to coming.

There was a moment, brief enough that Shiro would have missed it had he not been looking, that Lance froze up, eyes closed, mouth open but no sounds coming out, and Shiro knew that this was the perfect moment. He pressed up one more time onto Lance’s prostate, rubbing it firmly once, twice, and Lance came.

His body shuddered, slick gushing out, a strangled sound leaving his throat, and just a small dribble of come spurting out of his cock. Shiro noted it, knowing intimately how much less he came ever since becoming an omega.

He wasted no time in pulling his fingers out of Lance, moving up to straddle Lance’s hips.

Lance’s eyes were wide, pupils blown so large his eyes almost looked black. They never left Shiro’s cock, and the noise he made when Shiro reached back to cover his hand with slick so he could jerk himself off was almost overwhelmed. Shiro smiled down at him, pumping furiously. 

The smell of his own arousal combined with Lance’s, and the way that he just knew that his slick was leaking onto Lance, made everything so much more heightened, and it took next to no time for him to come. The small amount of come dropped from his cock, and he smeared it into Lance’s skin as he felt more slick drip down his thighs and onto Lance.

He dropped down next to Lance before looking over at Sendak, who motioned him over.

Shiro obeyed. Sendak spread his legs, his open pants showing off his impressive cock. He knew what was expected of him.

Without further ado, he sunk down on Sendak’s cock, mouth working the skin to get his Alpha off. Sendak’s hand on the back of his head was insistent, and Shiro just knew that this was a night where his mouth was going to get knotted.

He prepared himself for it mentally, and when it pushed back behind his lips as Sendak came down his throat, he closed his eyes in relief when it seemed that his body still remembered to do this as well.

Sendak made pleased sounds in the back of his throat, leaning back in the chair and closing his eyes as he waited for his knot to die down. Shiro did nothing, simply waiting along with Sendak. He closed his eyes, remembering Lance, how responsive he’d been, how beautiful he looked, and he vowed to himself that if- no, when- they got out, he’d make sure Lance would always be taken care of.

Eventually, Sendak pulled out of Shiro’s mouth, patting his head. “You did well, omega. The brat did well too.”

Shiro nodded, looking up at Sendak through his eyelashes. “Thank you, Alpha.”

Sendak smirked down at him, before looking at the bed where Lance had been sitting and watching the whole exchange. Gone was the relaxed Lance from earlier, but while he looked wary, he didn’t look anything like he’d looked earlier in the day.

“Off the bed, brat. The sheets need to be changed, and you don’t sleep there. Grab your plug too.”

Lance nodded, complying quickly.

Sendak nodded, pleased, and set the sheet changing machine to do its magic. “Come here, brat.”

Lance crawled over to Sendak obediently, obvious tension sitting between his shoulders. Shiro watched, giving Lance an encouraging nod when they were next to each other in front of Sendak.

“Turn around, brat, and present yourself.”

Lance bit his lip, but took a deep breath and turned around, spreading his legs and lowering himself on his forearms.

“Give me your plug.”

Shiro suddenly understood what was going to happen. He watched as Sendak grinned, claws trailing over the sensitive skin of Lance’s ass. Lance shivered, and Sendak, with a certain gleam in his eye, smacked his ass hard. Lance yelped, burying his face deeper in his forearms.

Sendak teased one sharp claw along the rim of Lance’s hole, and Shiro saw the way Lance tensed up even more. Sendak chuckled darkly, pulling his claw away after a moment to push the plug back into him slowly. His other hand rested on the small of Lance's back, lightly scratching the skin there. Lance shivered, a small moan escaping him.

Finally, it seemed that Sendak was pleased, because he patted Lance’s ass softly.

“You two may go to bed for the night after you’ve both wiped yourselves off. I trust you remember where you sleep, omega.”

“Yes, Alpha. Thank you, Alpha.”

Lance repeated the honorifics quietly and followed Shiro when he motioned for it.

“You okay, Lance?”

Lance gulped, but nodded, slowly pushing his shoulder into Shiro’s reassuringly.

Shiro pressed back and showed Lance to their little corner, where a mattress laid on the floor. Shiro noticed that it was bigger than his previous one, and that there were a few more blankets and pillows, which was good.

Shiro told Lance to stay near the bed, and went to grab a couple of wet and dry towels to clean up with. They both helped the other wipe down and then, when the towels were put into the correct place, crawled into the bed together. Lance curled up into Shiro, tucking his head under Shiro’s chin. Shiro smiled, whispering goodnight and burying his face in Lance’s hair. They both reeked of sex and sweat and would no doubt need a shower in the morning, but he wasn’t particularly worried about it for the moment.

He laid there and listened to Sendak get ready for bed, and then eventually heard the soft, steady breathing that meant he was asleep. It seemed that Lance also heard it, because it was then that he softly whispered Shiro’s name.

“What’s up, Lance?”

Lance pulled himself up for a moment so he could look Shiro in the eyes. “Blue visited me. Earlier. When we were asleep.”

Shiro’s eyes widened. “Really?”

Lance nodded. “Yeah. It was so cool. She came and it was like she curled up around me, keeping me safe the way she would a cub or something. I couldn’t really talk to her like normal, and I don’t think she could either, but we could still feel each other, and like, our emotions and shit.”

Shiro smiled, running a hand through Lance’s hair. “I’m glad you have her.”

“Yeah. I don’t think I could have done any of this without her. She really helped me be able to keep myself.”

He yawned big, covering his mouth to muffle the sound, and Shiro shook his head.

“Come on. Let’s get some sleep.”

“Okay,” Lance mumbled, burrowing back into Shiro’s arms. “Good night, Shiro.”

“Good night, Lance.”

“I love you.”

Shiro’s heart ached, and he prayed fervently that they’d get out of here as soon as possible.

“I love you, too.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is going to be darker than the others. Please be careful, and if you have questions, reach out to me.

Lance woke to the warm brushing of fur against his neck, a hot tongue running against his skin. He moaned softly, tilting his head to the side.

“Shiro,” he moaned, reaching up to pull Shiro closer.

“Try again, brat.”

He stiffened underneath Sendak, suddenly acutely uncomfortable. He could tell that Sendak picked up on that, because the claws pushing up and over his sides were suddenly much rougher. “Aren’t you pleased to see your Alpha, brat?”

Lance’s heart was beating fast with fear, and he nodded. He felt Shiro stir beside him.

“Yes, Alpha. I’m very happy to see you,” he whispered.

He could tell that Shiro had fully woken up and was taking in the scene. Lance saw him place a hand on Sendak’s shoulder, caressing the fur there. Sendak pulled away from where he’d been kissing his way down to Lance’s collarbones, starting straight at Shiro as he shrugged his hand off.

Shiro stared back, eyes wary, and Sendak huffed.

“It seems I’ve been too lenient with you, omega. You know how much I favor you.”

He leaned over to Shiro, dragging a claw down the side of his face. “But don’t forget that I’m the one that makes the decisions here. And the decision I’ve made is that I want to know what this pretty little omega tastes like. You’ve had your turn. But he belongs to me.”

He shoved Shiro away, pushing him towards the edge of the bed and silently commanding him to stay there.

Sendak moved away, focusing his attention back to Lance. Lance gulped, the red light from Sendak’s bionic eye casting the dark room in an eerie glow. He shivered. He knew what that look meant.

“You’d both do well to remember who exactly is in charge here.”

How could they forget? Lance let his head fall back as Sendak buried his face there again, acutely aware of just how sharp Sendak’s teeth were, and how close they were. They scraped softly against the soft skin of his neck, sending a shiver down his spine. Lance looked over at Shiro, who was watching them with an unreadable look in his eyes.

Lance looked away, unable to hold Shiro’s gaze, before closing his eyes. He knew what he had to do, but the idea of acting like Sendak’s willing little omega made him want to vomit. So instead he took deep breaths. If he couldn’t show desire, the least he could do was to hide his disgust.

“I can’t wait to claim you, brat,” Sendak murmured, pressing kisses down towards Lance’s chest. “I can’t wait to be buried in that tight, hot heat. To make you drip like a bitch in heat and pulse around my knot.”

Sendak’s growl resonated throughout the room, and despite himself, Lance could feel himself getting slick. An Alpha, especially one so turned on and possessive, talking so dirty, made Lance want to roll over, spread his legs, present himself, and  _ beg _ . He breathed through the desires, squeezing his eyes more tightly shut and pressing his thighs together to try and at least alleviate some of the throbbing in his cock.

A whimper left him when he heard Sendak pull his own cock out, rubbing the tapered tip against Lance’s hip bones. Without warning, Sendak’s mouth bit into his neck again, dangerously close to the mating glands on the sides of his neck. Lance squeaked, eyes popping open and face turning a bright red.

Even though he’d never been particularly religious in his life, he couldn’t help the, “Dios ayudame,” that left his lips, soft and scared. He didn’t even think there was a god who was listening to him, but he wasn’t exactly controlling himself.

Sendak chuckled darkly into the skin resting over his gland, breathing hotly over it. Lance didn’t know if Sendak had understood him, and he didn’t particularly care when he was just trying to stop being so turned on by something so fucking terrible. He bit his bottom lip, chewing on it until he tasted blood.

Sendak continued on above him, jacking off and occasionally rubbing his cock onto Lance’s skin. The entire time, his mouth was dangerously close to the mating gland, and Lance forced himself to take deep breaths to keep from crying.

Lance’s hands fisted into the blankets underneath him, fingers rhythmically scratching at the fabric to try and distract himself using those sensations. Sendak pressed his lips into Lance’s skin, and Lance couldn’t help but let out a pathetic whimper, squirming underneath Sendak.

“I can’t wait to mate you, little omega,” Sendak growled. His voice was lower than before, full of dark promise, and Lance’s chest suddenly felt tight.

“When I come back, I’m going to spread you out on my bed. You’re going to look so delicious, all frail and wet and begging for my cock. Then I’m going to give myself the pleasure of fucking your tight, hot, wet hole until I knot you. I’m going to breed you full, brat, you and my omega. You’re both going to walk around swollen with my cubs, and I’m going to make sure you’re always full of my seed. I’ll probably even bite you, truly claim you, just like I did with my omega before they took him from me.”

Sendak licked up the side of his neck, catching his mating gland and making him gasp out loud, both in pleasure and disgust.

“How would you like that, little brat? To carry my mark on you forever, so that everyone will know that you’re  _ mine _ .”

Lance curled his hands into fists underneath Sendak, heart feeling as if it was about to beat out of his chest. He didn’t want any of that. He didn’t want it. He didn’t.

Sendak picked up on his distress, laughing cruelly. “Poor little omega,” he mocked breathlessly, before coming all over Lance’s torso.

Lance flinched, turning his head away. He shivered, muscles jumping as Sendak began to rub his come into Lance’s skin, claws catching on his skin not so accidentally. After the work of a few moments, his torso was covered in a thin sheen of Sendak’s come. He grimaced.

Sendak impatiently moved his head so that Lance was looking at him. Lance looked through him, trying desperately not to betray everything he was feeling, when fingers prodded at his lips. They were covered in Sendak’s come. He wanted so badly to turn his head away, to refuse him, but Sendak was his Alpha. He couldn’t.

With a grimace, Lance took Sendak’s fingers in his mouth, licking them clean. He remembered having to do the same thing just yesterday, but it had been so much better then. Mainly because Shiro had been there, and the whole atmosphere had been playful.

This felt wrong.

Sendak smiled above him, pulling his fingers out and running a claw along the mating gland on the side of his neck. Lance shivered, looking up helplessly at Sendak as Sendak gripped the back of his neck, pulling him up and off of the bed. He followed obediently, unsure of what was going on and too scared to disobey.

The both of them were given a quick restroom break. After Lance exited the bathroom, he was pulled to Sendak’s bed, pushed down onto it and commended to stay. He looked over at Shiro, eyes wide, heart beating out of his chest. Shiro silently motioned for him to calm down, and he tried to do it, taking deep breaths.

Sendak returned with a golden chain, one that he hooked to the bed. The cuff on the other end was latched onto Lance’s ankle and Lance stared down at the golden cuff. He looked back up at Sendak, bewildered.

“I like the idea of my brat chained to my bed, waiting for me to come home and claim him.” Sendak smirked at him, then looked over at Shiro.

“Omega. Come here.”

Shiro obeyed, crawling over to Sendak. The Galra pulled him up, pulling his arms behind his back and cuffing them together with some dense looking metal. He buried his face in Shiro’s neck.

“So you don’t try anything, omega.”

Shiro nodded, letting himself be shoved onto his knees again. Lance watched as Sendak caressed his head, before moving to press against Shiro’s mating gland.

“I’ll find out soon enough how you got rid of my mark, omega. But no worries. You’ll still alway be my first omega.”

Lance gulped as Sendak turned to him, eyes full of intent. “I look forward to finally knotting you later tonight, brat.”

Lance whimpered softly. Sendak grinned wickedly, and then was off.

The moment the door closed, Lance crawled off the bed. The chain wasn’t long, and he couldn’t go far, but he could sit down at the foot of the bed.

Shiro joined him, sitting on the floor next to him. He couldn’t hold Lance, Lance knew, not with his arms bound behind him the way they were, but  _ God _ did he wish Shiro could.

“How’re you holding up?” Shiro asked softly.

Lance suddenly felt tears prick at his eyes. He wiped them away, forcing them back and sniffing once. “Not great. I’m not gonna lie, Shiro. I’m scared. I don’t want to get knotted by Sendak. I don’t want to get mated by him. I never had to worry about these things before. Betas are lucky.  _ I  _ was lucky. And now I’m thrown into this shit and I’m not going to walk away unscathed.  _ You  _ didn’t walk away unscathed. I’m just scared, Shiro.”

Lance heard Shiro sigh beside him, and felt his warm side press against his.

“I know you’re scared. I’m kind of scared too. It was one thing when it was me going through this. I don’t know if I can watch you go through it.”

Lance turned into Shiro’s side, hugging onto him. He stayed silent for a moment.

“Shiro?”

“Yeah, Lance?”

“Do you regret last night?”

Shiro tucked his chin over Lance’s head, and Lance felt a surge of warmth run through him. “Of course I don’t. Lance, why would I?”

Lance shrugged. “I know I wouldn’t be your first choice. And I know I got super carried away and turned on and I probably pushed you into it.” He closed his eyes, feeling guilt well up in him.

“Oh, Lance.” Shiro pulled away.

“Look at me, please.”

It took a moment of coaxing, but Lance looked up at Shiro, guilt written all over his face.

Shiro’s face softened, and Lance’s heart twisted.

“Lance, I don’t regret last night. Last night was good. It was beautiful.  _ You  _ were-are-beautiful. I’d be lying if I said I’d never thought about it before. I wish it had been under better circumstances with everything that I have in me, but if you don’t regret it, I don’t either.”

Lance’s heart lifted with every word Shiro said, chest lightening with happiness. His face burned and he was sure that he was a bright red, but he didn’t really care. Shiro liked him. Shiro thought he was beautiful. Shiro had thought about-

He cut himself off, too embarrassed to even think about it, regardless of whether or not they’d already done it.

“You’re too fucking perfect,” he whispered, reaching up to cup Shiro’s face in awe.

The way Shiro leaned into his touch, closing his eyes and relaxing, made Lance want to melt into a puddle on the spot.

“I should be saying that to you.”

Yep. A Lance puddle was way overdue.

He let his hands fall from Shiro’s face instead, leaning into Shiro’s side again and sighing softly. “When we get out of here, will you take me on a date?”

Lance felt Shiro press his lips on the crown of his head, and he closed his eyes, a torrent of feelings unleashing in his chest.

“The first peaceful planet we get a chance to land on, I swear I’ll take you on the most romantic date I can think of.”

He snuggled in closer to Shiro, closing his eyes. “You’d better. I deserve to be treated like a princess.”

Lance heard Shiro snort softly. “Are you aiming to make Allura jealous?”

“Are you kidding? A strong, gorgeous hunk of a man like you, doting on me and treating me like the most precious person in the universe?  _ Everyone’s _ going to be jealous.”

Shiro laughed again, and Lance closed his eyes.

He wanted Shiro’s arms around him.

“Lance?”

Shiro’s voice broke him out of his quiet reverie, and he jumped softly, eyes opening.

“Yeah, Shiro?”

“What’s up, buddy?”

Lance shook his head, rubbing his face with his hands. He didn’t want to talk about it.

“Come on, Lance. We can’t do this. We can’t pull away from each other. Not here. Not now. It’ll only end badly.”

Shiro’s soft pleading broke him.

“I’m scared. I’m just so so scared.”

His voice cracked, and he hated himself for it deeply. He didn’t want to be be weak, not in front of Shiro, not when Shiro was so strong.

“Hey, I’m here.” Shiro’s cheek pressed up against Lance’s, trying to calm him. 

His breathing calmed slightly, but he was still having trouble breathing properly, the idea of what was going to happen when Sendak got back catching up to him.

“What do you need? How can I help?”

Lance closed his eyes, pressing his palms into his eyes.

“Tell me what to do. Tell me how to get through this.”

Shiro moved so that he was in front of Lance. It was comforting to Lance that he could see Shiro more clearly, could look into his eyes, even if it meant that he was deprived of being pressed against him the way he’d been before. Lance saw Shiro close his eyes, taking a deep breath. He followed suit, trying desperately to be as calm as his leader.

“As much as you’re not going to want to, you’re going to have to try and enjoy yourself, at least a little.”

Lance’s eyes popped open, almost bugging out of his head when he heard Shiro’s advice.

“ _ What _ ?”

Shiro looked pained. “I know. It sounds terrible. It  _ is _ terrible. And it’s beyond difficult. But in order for this to hurt less, you need to have more slick built up. You’re a newer omega, which means that you have an advantage in that your body creates slick with little stimulation, but it still won’t be enough for what you need. You need to try to enjoy yourself, to give your body that little extra push. Imagine that it’s someone else, relive another good experience that you had. Anything. Just… Do what you have to.”

It made sense. It did. That didn’t make it any less terrifying.

Still, he nodded.

“What else?”

“Sendak is rough when he’s claiming an omega. He’s never been a kind Alpha, and he seems to enjoy taking it out on you in particular. I need you to be prepared for that. This isn’t going to be a gentle claiming. It never has been for me, and he’s been vocal about the fact that I’m his favorite out of us two. I will be there to help you in any way I can afterwards, but know that in the moment, any sway I have over Sendak is little to none. Trying to dissuade him from something might even backfire, if this morning’s attempt was any indication. I want to keep you safe, Lance. But in order to do that, you need to be able to take whatever happens, even if it’s painful.”

Lance’s breathing picked up again, and he bit his lip hard, whimpering. “No. I can’t. Shiro, I can’t. I’m not strong like you or bullheaded like Keith. I can’t take a beating and bounce back like Hunk. I’m weak. I’m the weak link. I just-” He tugged at the chain connecting his ankle to the bed, trying desperately to break it. “I want to go home.”

He ducked away from Shiro, not that Shiro could have grabbed him anyways, crawling until he was at the end of his chain. He tugged desperately with his leg, trying to use his ankle as leverage to break the chain or the cuff or  _ something _ .

He tugged until he could feel the edges of the cuff digging into his skin, cutting into it and making him wince. He tugged until he felt a pop, crying out in pain and grabbing the unforgiving metal covering his now throbbing joint.

He cried, slumping down. There was no way he was getting out of here. No way he was getting free of this damned thing.

A glowing purple hand came into his blurred vision, and Shiro’s human hand urged his hands away from the cuff. He stared in awe as Shiro melted away the clasp holding the cuff shut. Shiro opened it up for him, cursing softly at the bruises that were starting to form on the skin.

“Dammit, Lance, why didn’t you stop when I asked you to?”

Shiro’s voice was pained, frustrated, and Lance shook his head.

“I just wanted to get away. Did I break it?”

Shiro sighed, cool hands inspecting his ankle. “I don’t think so. I think it’s just dislocated.”

Lance sighed, propping himself up on his wrists and staring listlessly at his ankle, before looking over at Shiro’s free hands and the disfigured pieces of metal he assumed were the cuffs from before. “How’d you get your arm to work?”

Shiro shrugged. “I’m not sure. I think they overlooked it and maybe forgot to disarm it when Sendak brought us here.”

Lance stared at it for a few moments, before sitting up suddenly. “Wait. This means we have an advantage. Shiro, we can get out of here. We don’t have to wait for the other Paladins.”

Shiro grimaced. “We wouldn’t.” He looked down at Lance’s ankle. “But there’s no way you can get yourself out of here on your own with your ankle like that. I could maybe fight enough for the both of us if we could both properly move ourselves, but with you in that state, we’d be captured instantly.”

Tears of anger pricked at Lance’s eyes, and he wiped them away, staring down sullenly. Why, why,  _ why _ did he have to be like this? Why did he have to fuck up the only chance they’d had? Now, the moment Sendak came back, he’d see that Shiro’s arm was working, and there went that advantage.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“There’s no point in wasting our energy being upset about the things that can’t happen. Right now, I need to make sure that your ankle is okay, and that if it is dislocated, I can pop it back in.”

Lance was quiet the entire time Shiro helped get him back on Sendak’s bed, maneuvering him to give him the best access to his ankle. He buried his face in the pillows and screamed into them as Shiro moved his ankle around, testing how it could and couldn’t move.

“I’m so sorry, Lance. But your ankle doesn’t need to be popped in.”

Shiro’s hand rubbed up and down Lance’s back soothingly, and Lance could tell that he was trying to calm his hitching breaths. He wanted so badly to calm down, but he didn’t know what was going to happen. Sendak would find out that Shiro’s arm was active. Sendak would probably think that they’d been trying to escape. His ankle hurt so much.

Through all of this, he was somehow absolutely certain that this wouldn’t deter Sendak from knotting him.

He pushed his face into one of the pillows, using it to try and breathe more deeply. He could do this. He couldn’t do this. He could. He couldn’t. Could. Couldn’t.

“Come on, Lance. Just stop thinking about it.”

Lance lifted his head off of the pillow.

“How?” he croaked.

“Focus on my hand. Focus on your heartbeat. You’ve done this a million times in the heat of battle, and this is no different. Focus. Just close your eyes and feel.”

Lance obeyed, going back mentally to all those times that he’d flown with the other Paladins, Blue purring beneath him. He felt her warm, loving presence, first in memory, and then, soon enough, in real life.

She wrapped around him, giving him her strength. She was barely there, just a whisper against his mind, but it was enough that he didn’t feel like he was falling apart anymore. For now anyways.

She stayed with him until the last second, until the door hissed open and Sendak walked in and took in the carnage of his chains.

Lance felt Shiro sit up suddenly. “Alpha.”

Sendak was silent for a moment, and Lance couldn’t help but sneak a peek. In the brief glimpse he caught, he saw a murderous Sendak, eyes filled to the brim with rage. He gingerly moved to his knees, quietly hissing in pain as it jostled his ankle.

There was no sound but that of footsteps for a few moments, before a clawed hand grabbed Lance painfully by the hair. He yelped, reaching up to try and alleviate the pressure on his scalp. His eyes flicked to the side to see Shiro in a very similar position, although Shiro wasn’t trying to make Sendak let him go, it seemed.

“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t toss you both to the Druids to be put down right this instant.”

“Please, Alpha,” Shiro pleaded. “It’s my fault. It’s all my fault. Don’t hurt him.”

Sendak hands tightened in their hair, and they both winced.

“Don’t lie to me, omega. If it was only you trying to escape, you would be gone by now. We both know you would never leave him behind.”

“No. No, Alpha, please. I didn’t want to escape. I wasn’t trying to escape. I just wanted to get him out. But I didn’t want to escape. I’m yours. All yours. Please, Alpha.”

Sendak’s attention was suddenly focused on Lance like a laser, and Lance squirmed uncomfortably. He watched through the corner of his eye as Sendak tossed Shiro to the side, pointing towards Shiro.

“If you try to interfere, I will rip him open in front of you and leave him in your arms to die. Don’t test me, omega.”

Lance whimpered, heart beating wildly. Sendak’s other hand reached up to grab his chin, forcing Lance to look at him. Lance tried desperately to focus, focus, focus. Focus on something. Remember how Blue felt, wrapped around him. Anything.

But right now, all that had his attention was Sendak. Sendak looked like maybe he might kill Lance anyways, just for the hell of it, and boy did that terrify Lance beyond measure.

“So,” Sendak started. “It seems you’ve started to turn my omega against me. Just when I was starting to warm up to you, too. My lovely little omega never acted out of turn before you came along, and then suddenly, I picked you up, and he’s acting out of turn all over the place.”

Sendak pursed his lips, staring at Lance, and Lance gulped. “I’m sorry, Alpha,” he whispered. “I don’t mean to, Alpha.”

“And I suppose that you think you mean that.” Sendak shook his head, sighing, before grinning maliciously. “But a lie is a lie, whether intentional or not.”

He ran his hand down Lance’s face. “I’m so going to enjoy punishing you, brat.”

He tossed Lance onto the bed, walking over to Shiro and grabbing his arm. “We’re going to take care of you in the meantime.”

As Sendak called for multiple droids to take Shiro to the Druids, Lance tried desperately to hide somewhere, anywhere. He crawled off of the bed, clenching his jaw hard enough to hurt when the movements jostled his ankle. He looked around, cataloguing all the nooks and crannies in the room, before crawling under the bed. It was stupid, and he was under no impression that he’d be able to hide for long, but he had to do something, and this was as far as he could get on his ankle.

He quieted his breathing, listening to the droids take Shiro away, and he closed his eyes and silently prayed that Sendak would let it go.

“Oh, dumb little omega. You forget that I can smell you.”

A hand closed in on his hurt ankle, and he cried out as he was dragged out from under the bed, trying to grab onto anything that he could. For a moment, he found purchase on the leg of the frame holding the bed up, only to give it up when a particularly strong squeeze to his ankle made him reflexively try to push Sendak’s hand away.

He was vividly reminded of the morning, before Sendak had left, when Sendak tossed him onto the bed again. The Galra wasted no time in shedding his clothes as he moved up the mattress until he was covering Lance entirely.

Lance’s breathing picked up, heart beating a rabbit’s pace in his chest. “Please,” he whispered. He knew it wouldn’t work, but it was all he could do.

“Oh, little omega,” Sendak purred, raking his claws down Lance’s side, hard enough to hurt but not enough to break the skin. “This isn’t about you. You’ll do better when you learn that.”

“I’ll do anything you want,” he begged, hands pushing up against Sendak’s chest.

Sendak grinned, pinning his hands above his head, before altogether flipping Lance over.

“This is what I want,” Sendak growled into his ear.

Lance shivered, squirming underneath Sendak and trying to get away.

“That’s enough, brat.”

Claws dug into his hips, this time breaking the skin, and he gasped into the pillow, shaking his head and trying even more desperately to pull away. The claws just dug deeper, until the pain was unbearable, and he stopped squirming. He tried to catch his breath, wiping away his tears as Sendak maneuvered his legs so that he was kneeling.

His body tensed as Sendak pulled out the plug, and Lance realized with horror that he almost couldn’t feel any slick. He remembered what Shiro had said earlier, and he thought that maybe he’d been freaking out so much that instead of pushing his body forward, he’d pushed his body backwards.

Sendak seemed to notice it too. “Oh, you’re going to hurt, little omega. You’d better do something about this problem, or my knot might damage you so badly you’ll need a healing pod.”

Lance closed his eyes, trying to focus on the physical aspect of what was going on. He shifted, trying to rub his thighs together, get some friction, do something. Nothing was working. All he could focus on was the pain in his ankle and hip, and how much Sendak’s cock was going to hurt.

Mental it was, then.

He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He tried to relax, tried to bring his head out of his body, a lot like when he was joining with Blue. Forget the physical. Be in his mind. Don’t feel. Just think. He let his brain wander, thought of Lucy from the Garrison, the first person he’d kissed, how pretty she’d been, her blue eyes and brown hair. He thought of Angel, the first  _ real _ guy he’d had a crush on (his poster of Shiro didn’t count), and how he’d danced with Lance back at junior prom. He thought of Angel’s hands on his hips, his hot breath against his ear, the way he’d kissed Lance so deeply in the back of one of the cargo ships, how his lips had felt against Lance’s neck.

He thought of Shiro. Shiro, who was lovely and sweet and caring. Who was the perfect leader. Who had been the first person to make him come, the first person to see him so completely vulnerable. He remembered the way Shiro had looked above him, kissing him, fingering him, whispering all sorts of things to him.

Lance was pulled out of his memories suddenly by the sensation of two clawed hands pulling his ass cheeks apart, one finger running down his soaked hole. He sighed softly in relief, shoulders slumping. He pushed Shiro out of his head then. He didn’t want to remember Shiro with this, didn’t want to associate their time with Sendak.

He closed his eyes as Sendak pressed his cock against his hole, teasing him. Lance opened his eyes, staring blankly at the fabric of the pillowcase beneath him. He stared at the pattern of the threads, the way they interlocked with each other to form the fabric, only interrupted in his study of it when he closed his eyes as Sendak pushed in.

When he reopened his eyes, he stared at the way that his hands were clenched in the fabric of the sheets, followed each crease of the fabric and the shadows they cast as each thrust of Sendak’s hips pushed him forward. Each grunt, moan, and whimper that left his mouth were completely outside of his own volition, but he didn’t care enough to even attempt to stop them.

He just wanted it to be over.

Soon enough, he felt the base of Sendak’s cock swell, pressing against his hole. Sendak pressed it against his rim, keeping it there for a few moments. Even trying not to pay attention, it was hard for Lance not to notice when he was being stretched the widest he’d ever been stretched.

“Come here, brat,” Sendak growled. “You haven’t been paying attention to me, but you’ll pay attention now.”

Sendak’s clawed at his scalp as he raised Lance, and pain bloomed across Lance’s torso. Lance wondered briefly just how out of it he’d been, when his neck was shoved to the side and teeth sunk into his mating gland, breaking the skin as easily as if it had been butter.

Lance bit into his own hand to muffle his cry, closing his eyes and pushing away the wave of revulsion that swept through him. He mentally counted up and down from ten, calming himself. He could sense an urge to please Sendak, to make his Alpha pleased with him, and it made his skin crawl.

Sendak stayed buried in him until his knot had mostly deflated, before pulling it out. Even though it was small enough to come out, it still hurt Lance, who winced when Sendak pressed the plug back into him. His Alpha got off the bed, wrapping a robe around himself, and wandering to the kitchen area. Lance watched Sendak grab something small to eat and drink, and it wasn’t long before there was a knock at the door.

“Stay,” Sendak commanded, and Lance somehow knew that there was no way that he’d be able to disobey.

A droid carried a weak looking Shiro in, a Druid at his side. Sendak motioned for the Druid to leave Shiro on their bed, and Lance watched as Sendak and the Druid spoke.

“His arm has been successfully deactivated. We also looked into why his mating mark was gone, as per your request. It was not gone, we discovered, simply faded by a large degree. It seems that before his escape, he was somehow given a suppressor that was of Galra origin. We are looking into it.”

Sendak nodded. “And have you procured the replacements I asked for as well?”

The Druid nodded, handing Sendak two more golden chains. “They will not break. Our work is impeccable.”

They bid each other farewell, and Lance moaned softly in protest when Sendak gave him a small but cruel smile. Lance could only watch helplessly as Sendak first went over to Shiro, saying something to him as he chained Shiro to the bed, before the Galra approached him as well, toying with the chain.

“I’ve decided that you two should not be allowed to be together, as you have both demonstrated a contempt for the goodwill and generosity that I’ve shown you. So until you can both learn to be good omegas, you’re both going to be confined to your own beds. I will be in charge of everything  you do and everywhere you go. For now, though…” He trailed off, dropping his robe. “I think I want another taste of you, omega.”

Lance shook his head, letting out a moan of desperation. “Please, Alpha. Not again.”

Sendak closed the chain’s cuff around his injured ankle, grinning when Lance groaned.

“You don’t get to tell me what to do, brat.”

He crawled up Lance’s body, slapping him across his face hard enough that his ear rang. Lance yelped, grabbing his face and staring up at Sendak with hurt eyes. “Alpha, please.”

Sendak slapped him again, pulling his head back.

“This will be easier if you learn to keep your mouth shut, brat.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning, this is the chapter where mpreg crops up  
> Also, please notice that I've updated the tags  
> There will be a miscarriage later in this story (not in this chapter), although it won't be graphic  
> Just a heads up, and if you have concerns, feel free to reach out to me

Shiro smiled shakily at Allura’s sheen, transparent figure, her mental image projected onto his eyes thanks to their shared bond with Black. They sat across from each other in their own little mental plane of existence, Black’s head resting at their sides. Each of them had a hand placed on her nose, petting her and thanking her for being the conduit so that they could talk to each other this way.

“We are getting close,” Allura assured Shiro, eyes filled with determination. Shiro nodded, silently thankful that she was the person Black chose.

She flickered rapidly, and Shiro cursed. He took deep breaths, quieting his mind and hoping desperately that Allura would be able to do the same. It had taken time, too long in Shiro’s mind, for Allura to form a strong enough bond that they could talk in this manner. Before this, it had been just snippets, an image here, an idea there, a word squished in between.

Lance had started throwing up yesterday. Shiro prayed that it was going to buy them the time they so desperately needed.

Allura popped back in, looking pained.

“Princess? What’s wrong?”

Allura sneered.

“We came across a new group of ‘allies’ a few quintants ago, although I am not entirely certain of their loyalties. They claim to be a rebel group of Galra, and have even accepted Keith among their ranks. They say that he has Galra blood.” She shuddered.

“But no matter. Until such time as they prove their untrustworthiness, I have no choice but to accept their help. One of them, a Galra by the name of Ulaz, seems to know of you. He claimed to be the one to give you your arm, as well as the suppressor that was mentioned in that memory you sent me. I had told no one else of it, and therefore trusted him enough to let him bring us here. Still, the thought of being surrounded by so many Galra…”

She sighed.

“I must try not to let my prejudices take up all our time, however. I will tell you that this group has intel that we have been trying for this past month to get our hands on, and it will definitely help us in finding you. We’re close, Shiro. I can feel it.”

Shiro nodded. “Thank you, Princess.”

Allura smiled. “How are you?” Her smile dropped. “How is Lance?”

Shiro sighed, mouth pursing, and opened his eyes for Allura to see through them.

Lance was curled over the sick bucket Sendak had left for him, moaning weakly. His body was covered in bruises and cuts, and he looked pale and thin. Shiro heard Allura’s gasp and closed his eyes, not willing to let her see any more. It was bad enough that he had to see it, especially when Sendak would come back, tossing Lance around like a ragdoll and fucking into him mercilessly. Granted, Shiro had never been treated like a doll, but he’d never been the brunt of such anger.

It made Shiro want to punch something.

Allura looked pale, like she wanted to throw up as well, and Black nudged her nose into her, silently comforting her Paladin. She could feel the pain of her Paladins acutely, and Shiro felt her wish that Blue not know the extent of Lance’s suffering.

They both agreed wholeheartedly.

“How long has this been happening?” Allura asked softly.

Shiro rubbed his hand over his forehead. “He started throwing up yesterday. When Sendak comes back, he’s probably coming back with a Druid. But it’s almost certain. Lance is probably pregnant.”

“But how can he be expected to carry a baby when he’s so obviously beaten up? Is he going to be okay, Shiro?”

“I don’t know, Allura. I don’t. But the Druids know what they’re doing, and if there’s one thing that we have going for us, it’s that the lack of Galra fertility means that they value their children above all else. Even if they only value Lance for what’s in his womb, they’re going to start valuing him. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. It will buy him some time. In the meantime.” At this, he leaned forward, hearing Sendak’s code to the door being punched in and knowing he only had seconds left. “Get us the hell out of here.”

Shiro opened his eyes as Sendak walked into the room, crawling off the bed and bowing his head. “Welcome back, Alpha.”

Sendak looked down at Shiro, smirking. “You’ve learned much in the past month, omega. Keep it up, and you may be reunited with the brat soon.”

Shiro pushed up a little bit, unable to keep his excitement and relief hidden. Being separated from Lance, being unable to be there, to touch him and comfort him, it had been hell. He’d only been able to watch. Watch as Sendak fucked Lance over and over, as Lance put up less and less of a fight each time. Watch as Sendak struck Lance when Lance would mess up, watch as Lance patched himself up after and then later gave up trying because the bruises were coming too quickly.

Every day, when Sendak would leave, to go to meetings, or whatever the hell he did on this godforsaken ship, Shiro would talk to Lance. He would talk to him about the little snippets of information he’d gotten from Black. He’d tell him about memories he had from Earth, or ask him questions about his life before. He’d tell Lance about the dates he was going to take him on, and the things they were going to do when they were free. Sometimes, he would ramble for hours about the most inane things, until he was grating even to his own ears.

Sometimes, Lance would talk back. Those were the good days. He’d talk to Shiro about how Blue had come to visit him. He’d answer Shiro’s questions, about Cuba, about moving to America, about the Garrison, about his friendships with Hunk. Other days, when Sendak was particularly rough, Shiro couldn’t get a peep out of him. Shiro could talk until his throat was hoarse, but the most he would get would be a half hearted nod here or there.

Those days were happening more and more.

Those days hurt him.

He wanted those days to stop.

“Please, Alpha, how can I please you? What can I do to make you happy?”

Sendak chuckled darkly, ruffling Shiro’s hair. “It’s nothing that you can do. If I find out today that the brat is carrying my cubs, he’s going to need someone to take care of him while I’m not around. He’s been okay, and you’ve shown yourself to be much better, so I will let that person be you if the Druids give me good news today.”

Shiro grinned, unable to contain his happiness. Oh, he’d be able to touch Lance again. He’d be able to hold him close and, even if for a small moment, pretend like he could protect him. “Thank you, Alpha. You won’t regret this, Alpha.”

Sendak grabbed Shiro’s chin, making Shiro look him in the eyes. Shiro stilled at the deadly serious look in his eyes. “I’d better not regret this. Because if I do, your punishment this past month will seem like child’s play.”

Shiro gulped, nodding as much as he could. “Yes, Alpha.”

“Good, omega.” He dropped Shiro’s chin, then patted his head. “Now, I’m off to take the brat to the Druids. Behave while I’m gone.”

Lance looked up at Sendak, wincing as Sendak reached down for him.

“Come on, brat. We’re going to get you checked.”

Lance’s eyes widened, and he looked down at his body, naked the way it had been for the entire past month. “Just like this, Alpha? In front of everyone?”

Sendak shrugged. “I sent Shiro that way the night I claimed you. My soldiers know that they can look, but they cannot touch. I have no worries. I also have no time to debate this.”

He nodded, not wanting to move but knowing that he had no choice, and gingerly got up, putting all of his weight on his good foot. The pain that shot through his ankle made him hiss softly, and he found himself wondering briefly if he would actually heal in the expected six to twelve weeks, the way he’d heard back on Earth, or if the lack of actual medical care meant that his foot was just going to be fucked up forever.

Sendak huffed, obviously annoyed, and grabbed Lance, picking him up bridal style. “I don’t have time to wait for you to limp your way to the Druids.”

Lance closed his eyes, letting his head drop. “Thank you, Alpha,” he murmured quietly.

“Proper thanks will be you carrying my pups,” Sendak responded.

Lance twisted his hands together, looking down at them and avoiding all the hungry gazes of Sendak’s soldiers. He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know what he wanted. Being pregnant would help immensely. It would buy him time. It would buy him decent treatment, and a ticket back to Shiro again. It might even buy him less frequent knottings.

But it also bought him children. Children that were half his, yes, but also half Sendak’s. Children that would be part Galra, part everything that had been steadily destroying him. Not to mention, he wasn’t even sure that he could take care of kids. Yeah, sure, he’d been a great babysitter to his nieces and nephews and cousins. Yes, he could change a diaper and knew how to bottle feed and burp a baby and pretty much everything on how to take care of one.

That didn’t mean he was ready.

He took a shaky breath as Sendak approached two large, ominous doors with some sort of symbol carved into them. Lance assumed that it was the symbol of the Druids, although he wouldn’t have been able to tell you what it meant for the life of him.

Lance expected something cold, surgical. He expected something like a hospital, or maybe a Satanic circle. Either one wouldn’t have surprised him very much.

He wasn’t expecting a couch, or the comfortable looking recliner. He certainly wasn’t expecting the welcoming, warm aesthetic that they had going on, with bright yellow lights that didn’t hurt his eyes, and a warm, almost musky scent to the room that had the inner omega in him curling up and relaxing.

“We Galra take care of our young. If you are carrying my cubs, the expectation is that the examination is comfortable and causes you no discomfort.”

Lance stared down at his bruised and beaten body, internally snorting. He could take a little discomfort, no problem.

Sendak placed him in the recliner before sitting on the couch, and no sooner than he did that, a Druid glided into the room. They brought a tray with only a few medical tools on it, before stepping out and returning with another Druid.

They set to work around Lance quietly, maneuvering him in the various positions needed to examine him thoroughly. The recliner was pushed up and down to their preferences a few times, and pulses of magic were pushed into his body at seemingly random intervals.

Possibly the most humiliating part of the whole experience was when the Druid at his bottom half pulled out some extensions to the recliner, what seemed to be stirrups. Lance’s feet were pushed into them, and the Druid maneuvered themselves between Lance’s legs. Lance wasn’t sure what they were examining and why they had to do it, but his face was burning bright red, and he just wanted it to be over already.

Soon enough, Lance received his wish. The Druids retreated, pushing Lance back up to his original position. One of them silently exited the room, taking the tray of medical tools with them, while the other stayed in the room, facing Sendak.

“Well?” Sendak demanded impatiently.

“I’m quite pleased to inform you that your omega has caught,” the Druid told Sendak.

Lance’s head felt light.

“How far along is he? How long will he be pregnant?”

“He is about one month along. As far as we can tell, Galra blood is a bit weaker in this child, and therefore he will have a bit of a longer gestation period. You can expect your cub in anywhere from five to six months.”

“Excellent. Is that all?”

“Not quite. Lady Haggar would like to speak to you before you leave. She will be in in just a moment.”

The Druid bowed once, then left.

Lance tensed, muscles strung taut like a bow. Haggar? Was coming here? And he was sitting here, with Sendak, naked and pregnant? Oh god, he was going to have a panic attack.

At that moment, a familiar hooded figure strode into the room, taking a glance around. Those glowing eyes landed on Lance, and he gulped, squirming under Haggar’s gaze as his breathing picked up.

“You shouldn’t stress, omega. It is bad for your cub.” She walked forward, placing a hand on Lance’s forehead, and suddenly things didn’t matter as much as they had before.

“My Druids informed me as to the state of your omega, Sendak,” Haggar began. Lance’s interest was somewhat piqued. After all, they were talking about him. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to pay full attention.

“-can’t treat him like-”

“-is mine to do-”

“-carries your cub-”

“-will be doted on-”

He vaguely registered that the voices were upset, arguing over something. Lance thought that maybe they were arguing over him. But also he felt really warm and really comfortable, and the room smelled nice, and he was thinking about how now that he was pregnant he’d get to see Shiro again-

He woke up curled into Sendak, feeling the remnant of that warmth and safety from whatever Haggar had done to him earlier. A part of it was also probably the bond, and its satisfaction now that he knew that he was carrying his Alpha’s cub.

Sendak was running a hand through his hair, purring. Lance didn’t even know Galra could do that. It was kind of weird. Kind of cool too. He wasn’t sure which one it was more.

He wondered if his kid would purr.

He stopped.

He was going to have a kid. He was pregnant.

“I see that you’re finally up, brat. How are you feeling?”

Lance stretched, taking stock of his body. Yep. He still felt every bruise and ache from before his appointment with the Druids.

“About the same, Alpha.”

Sendak nodded. “Haggar told me that putting you in a healing pod could harm the baby, so there’s nothing we can do about that. However, I swear that for the entirety of the time that you carry my cub, you will live like the finest of omegas.”

Lance watched as Sendak sat up, stretching out as well. “Come, brat. You need food.”

He crawled to the edge of the bed, warily letting himself be hoisted into Sendak’s arms to avoid hurting his ankle even more. Sendak carried Lance to the table, sitting him in an actual seat and placing both a plate and a cup in front of him.

Lance stared down at the offerings in front of him, bewildered. “Alpha?”

Sendak laughed softly at his confusion. “An omega that blesses his Alpha with cubs is an omega that deserves a seat at a table. So let me feed you.”

Lance’s eyes flicked over to the bed he used to share with Shiro, eyes questioning.

“My other omega is still asleep. Leave him be for now. He won’t be getting much sleep tonight, after all.” Sendak smiled lecherously. “I want to see if I can make him catch as well.”

Lance’s chest hurt with the idea, but he knew that nothing he said or did would stop it. So he obediently opened his mouth when Sendak placed some food against it, chewing happily. It was so nice to finally have real food, that tasted good and probably had good nutrients in it, rather than whatever scraps Sendak hadn’t eaten. If there were any.

“Haggar says that you must eat and drink well for the duration of your pregnancy, and that you must stay in bed as much as possible. She says that your body is weak and may have trouble carrying to term. But I know that you will not be such a disgrace as to lose my cub, will you?”

Lance gulped, shaking his head. “No, Alpha.”

“Good.”

More food was pressed against his lips, until he was finally, blessedly, full. He’d forgotten what it felt like to be full. He’d forgotten how clean and delicious clean, cool water tasted, and he sighed happily when he was all done.

“Thank you, Alpha.”

He still wasn’t sure how he felt about the “cub” or whatever that was growing inside him, but he could really honestly get used to being treated so well.

Sendak picked him back up, but instead of putting Lance on Sendak’s bed, Sendak placed Lance on the mattress next to Shiro. Shiro stirred at the movement, and as he turned to see Lance sitting next to him, his entire countenance brightened.

Sendak uncuffed Shiro from the bed before they could do anything. “I’m going to go begin arrangements for my cub. Take care of the brat for me, omega. Do anything that is needed for him, and if he needs to walk, make sure that he does not fall. If anything happens to him or my cub, it’s on you.”

Shiro nodded. “Yes, Alpha.”

“Good omega.”

They watched as Sendak left, and before long, they were cuddled into each other, kissing softly.

“I’ve missed you so much,” Lance whispered in between kisses, clutching Shiro desperately.

“I know,” Shiro murmured. “I’ve missed you too.”

Shiro pulled back, taking Lance in fully, eyes turning down in sadness. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t stop him, Lance. I wanted to. I wanted to so badly, and I couldn’t.”

“Shh shh shh. It’s okay.” Lance reached up, cupping Shiro’s cheek. “You couldn’t have known just how badly everything would turn out. But we got through it, and here we are. Even if it isn’t ideal, we’re here.”

Shiro pursed his lips. “How are you holding up?”

Lance smiled, although it didn’t entirely reach his eyes. “Let’s be real, Shiro. I’m fucked up. We’re both pretty fucked up. And now- Now I’ve got this _thing_ inside me and I have no idea how to feel about it.”

Shiro laced the fingers of one of his hands together with the fingers of one of Lance’s hands. “Talk to me.”

He took a deep breath, biting his lip. “I just. I always thought I’d be excited for the day that I found out that I was going to be a dad, you know? Because I always thought it was going to be someone else getting pregnant, and that I’d love that person, and that they’d be human like me. Instead, I’m the one pregnant, and I didn’t have any say in the matter, and my baby is going to be half monster like Sendak.”

“Oh.” Shiro let out a breath. “Yeah. That’s a lot.”

He brought Lance’s hand up to his lips, kissing the back of Lance’s hand, and Lance felt a small piece of the world lift up off of him.

“Maybe I can help with one piece of it, though.”

Lance looked at Shiro, curious. “Which piece?”

“The half Galra piece.”

A beat. “I’m listening.”

“It seems we know someone who’s half Galra. Or, at least part Galra.”

“Wait what? Really? Who?”

“Keith.”

“Angry Mullet Boy?”

Lance couldn’t believe it.

Shiro sighed, clearly a bit exasperated. “Lance, you know more about him than him being an angry mullet boy. You’ve fought battles together. Not many, granted, but some.”

“Yeah, but it’s easier to remember him by his anger issues and his mullet.”

“...I mean, I guess you’re not entirely wrong.”

Lance preened, laughing a little bit before remembering the topic they’d been on.

“So you’re telling me that Keith is part Galra? How the heck’d you figure that out?”

“Allura told me. She finally developed a strong enough bond that we could actually talk, not just send small snippet of information. We were just talking about it before Sendak came for you.”

Lance stared at their joined hands, mind whirring. “So what exactly are you trying to tell me here?”

“I’ve known Keith for a long time. The kid’s got a bit of a temper, and maybe some abandonment issues, but he’s not evil. If he has Galra blood in him and he turned out okay, then I think that your baby is gonna turn out just fine. Besides, look who they’ve got to raise them.”

Tears threatened at the corners of Lance’s eyes. His chest felt a little lighter.

“I want to love this baby, Shiro. But what if we never get out of here?”

Shiro’s hand cupped his cheek, thumb rubbing against his cheek, and Lance couldn’t help but lean into the touch. “Hey, you’ve got me here. So trust me. I’ll get us out of here. It’ll all be okay.”

Shiro curled up around Lance, who still looked tired. He assumed that Lance was going to be tired a lot for a while to come. He yawned, covering his mouth to muffle the sound. Lance’s fatigue was contagious, it seemed.

It seemed like only a few moments before he felt Lance being pried from his arms. He tried to hold on, but the other arms were too strong, and he opened his eyes to see Sendak carrying a sleeping Lance in his arms.

“I’m back, omega.”

Shiro blinked the sleepiness out of his eyes, inclining his head in respect. “Welcome back, Alpha.”

Sendak motioned silently to Lance. “He will be spending his days with you while I am gone, but when I am here, and at night when I sleep, he will be in my bed with me. Understood, omega?”

He pushed down the wave of disappointment that threatened to overwhelm him. Oh, but he’d been looking forward to falling asleep with Lance curled up in his arms, soft, quiet brath huffing out against his throat. “Understood, Alpha.”

“Good. Now, don’t go back to sleep just yet. Or do. I don’t particularly care. But I want to make you catch too, so I’m planning on knotting you tonight until I physically can’t pop a knot anymore.”

Shiro licked his lips, nodding his acquiescence, and Sendak carried Lance to his bed. Shiro closed his eyes, evening out his breathing. It had been a while since Sendak had knotted him, he’d been so focused on Lance. Shiro’s body had gotten used to the rest, and he needed to remind it how to work for an Alpha again.

He thought of Lance, remembered that night that seemed oh so long ago, when he’d been allowed to touch and savor and kiss and lick to his heart’s delight. He remembered the beautiful sounds Lance had made, the way his body had arched when he came. He remembered everything that his brain would let him remember from that night, and then maybe a few things that didn’t happen.

Still, it worked.

He found himself getting worked up, the plug that was almost always in him eased a little by the amounts of slick his body was producing. By the time Sendak reached the bed, he’d worked himself up into a relatively horny state, enough that he knew he would be able to put on a good show for Sendak the way the Galra enjoyed.

When Sendak sunk his cock into him, he hissed, the plug having kept him somewhat stretched, but his body still unused to being fucked. Still, he pushed back, trying his level best to keep quiet. The last thing he wanted to do was wake Lance up, not when he was so tired.

“Oh, yes, I remember why you’re my favorite,” Sendak growled into his ear.

Shiro felt his hot breath fan across his ear, jaw, neck, and he shivered, clenching around Sendak.

“Just like that, omega. You know how to be such a good little slut, don’t you? The brat, he has this pretty little fight in him, or this delicious little hopelessness, that makes fucking him such a treat. But you? You were trained extensively on how to take my cock. You’re so good, omega. So good. Can’t wait to fill you, breed you, fuck you full of my cubs.”

Shiro took each knot dutifully, his body getting more and more used to it with each time it happened. The news of a cub must have had Sendak beyond hyped up, because Shiro took more knots than he’d ever remembered taking, although he lost track of the exact number.

He whined softly when Sendak pulled out for the final time, his entire ass tender and sore. Even with the plug in between refractory period and Sendak’s cock keeping a good amount of come in, by the time Sendak was done with Shiro, Shiro could feel some of Sendak’s come dripping down his thighs.

Sendak pushed a newer, bigger plug into him, making a snide comment as he did so about how much Shiro’s hole was gaping when Sendak was done with him. Shiro winced as the unforgiving plastic pressed against his oversensitive, frayed nerves, sending fissures of pain signals up to his brain.

“It’s okay, omega,” Sendak cooed. “I will give you the rest of the night and all of tomorrow to recover. Tomorrow night, however, I need to make sure that I clean you out and fill you up again. You have to be always full of come, omega.”

His days settled into a routine. Sleep in while Sendak spent the morning doting on Lance, feeding him, massaging him, bathing him, anything that Sendak’s Alpha instincts were screaming needed to be done that day. He would usually get woken up as Sendak was leaving, and was charged with the task of taking care of Lance while Sendak was gone.

He loved taking care of Lance. It was, by far, the highlight of his day. They would lay in bed, talking and kissing and cuddling, and really doing whatever else they wanted to do. A lot of times, their alone time would coincide with lunch time, and Shiro would cook them something to eat. They would feed each other and then wash the dishes, and then the rest of the time would be spent with each of them in their own respective mental planes with their Lions.

Shiro remembered the day when Blue had finally broken the news to Lance that she had chosen a new Paladin. She had chosen an alien named Shay, from the planet of the Balmera, and an individual that Hunk seemed to be quite enamored with. Lance had been upset, scared that Blue didn’t need him anymore, but after Shiro told Blue through Black to communicate with Lance better, things seemed more easy between them. At the very least, Lance understood that Blue’s alliance with Shay was only temporary, and that Blue was very much attached to Lance.

Shiro enjoyed his visits with Black.

Sometimes, it was just her, relaying the messages Allura had given her. Sometimes, Allura herself would be there, and they would sit and talk while they had time, catching each other up. She promised every time they spoke that they were close, that they were only a couple of breakthroughs away from figuring out where they were and how to get them.

Shiro hoped that it was going to be quick.

Every night, when Sendak would return, he would take Lance to his own bed and quickly bathe Shiro. Then, he would knot Shiro at least twice, rubbing Shiro’s belly and whispering to him how beautiful their cubs were going to look.

Something like two weeks had barely passed since Lance got news of his pregnancy, when Shiro started noticing a tender, sore feeling in his chest, especially centered around his nipples.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and wondering if he should speak to Sendak about this.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i owe icycoldmoonprincess and thebluewater7 my life for helping me with this fic

“Congratulations, Sendak. Your omega is carrying.”

Shiro’s breath caught in his chest, and he pressed a hand to his stomach, staring down at the smooth skin there. Soon, it would be stretched, filling with another life, one that would be completely and utterly dependent on him. He wondered if the baby would look more Galra or more Human, if they would have his eyes or Sendak’s. He wondered so many things.

He let his head rest on the chair, eyes closing as the Druid spoke to Sendak. “This one has been carrying for less time. However, this cub’s blood is also more strongly Galra, and therefore will be born more or less around the same time as your other omega’s cub, if not sooner.”

Sendak made a pleased noise, and Shiro rubbed his stomach soothingly. He wondered, then, how far along this baby was. Could this baby hear him? Did they have fingers and toes already, or were they still a little blob?

He didn’t know much about pregnancy, he could admit that.

Still, he was interested in learning more.

He considered what this meant as Sendak lead him back to the room, letting Sendak pull him in close with no complaint, verbal or otherwise. He even went so far as to rest his head on Sendak’s shoulder as he walked. After all, Shiro had a baby to take care of now. He and Lance both did. He knew that Lance’s feelings towards carrying were complicated and still being worked out, and he respected that. But he had long ago come to terms with the fact that he could end up pregnant, and now that he was, he couldn’t say that he regretted it.

Would he have chosen Sendak to father his children? Would he have even carried his children? Not with a choice. But his choice had been taken so long ago, and it had been easy to fall back into that survival mode.

His hand stayed on his stomach the entire walk to the room, even when the doors opened to reveal a dozing Lance on Sendak’s bed.

Lance had been nesting like crazy in the past few weeks, ever since learning of his pregnancy, and he had two partial nests. One was on the bed he shared with Shiro, and it was filled with things that were more intimate between the two of them. The other nest was on Sendak’s bed, and it had fewer things on it, as if Lance was hesitant to build with his Alpha. Shiro knew that it must be constantly grating internally on the bond he had with Sendak, but he also knew that Lance was nothing if not stubborn and he would die before he would let instinct rather than reason dictate where he felt safe.

As soon as they walked into the room, Lance stirred. Shiro saw him look at them blearily, before registering that it was them and sitting up. Shiro’s heart warmed at how adorable Lance looked rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, before Lance took in the respective body postures that Sendak and Shiro had.

“Good news, Alpha?”

Sendak nodded, pushing Shiro forward, leaning down to nuzzle at his ear in a possessive manner. “Go rest, omega. I will have some treats brought for you both.”

Shiro leaned into the touch. “Before I do, should I move the rest of Lance’s nest to the bed?”

Sendak looked at Shiro, surprised. “You’re smart, omega. Yes, that’s a good idea. But let the brat know first. There’s no use upsetting him because he just sees you disturb his nest for seemingly no reason.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Shiro walked up to the bed, half crawling into it and greeting Lance with a kiss. “How are you?”

Lance hummed, eyes drooping. “‘M tired,” he mumbled. “Been sleeping all day but I’m still really tired.”

He ran a hand through Lance’s hair, pressing their foreheads together. “Well, you’ll have to stay up for a little bit, okay? Sendak is sending for some treats to celebrate. He’s probably going to want to feed them to us.”

Lance hummed noncommittally. “Okay.”

Shiro huffed softly, smiling and pressing a kiss into Lance’s forehead. “I’m also going to move your nest from our bed over here, okay? Sendak’s going to want all of us to sleep in the same bed now, so we won’t be over there anymore. Is that okay with you?”

Lance pouted. “I liked our nest though.”

He brushed Lance’s hair back again. “I know. But we won’t have any of it anymore unless I move it over here. You can arrange it however you want, but I need to know that you’re okay with me moving it.”

The sigh that left Lance’s lips was put upon and heavy. “ _Fine_ I guess.” His pout deepened, before he looked up at Shiro with hopeful, wide eyes.

“We’ll still have our own little piece of the nest though, right?”

Shiro smiled, heart warm with fondness and affection. “Of course. Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Nodding, Lance curled back up into the nest, burying his face in a pillow. “Have at it then,” he allowed with a lazy wave of his hand.

Shiro hadn’t felt the urges to nest yet, hadn’t yet known the itch to build something like a home for his cub, so he wasn’t sure what to do with the mounds of cloth, clothing, and bedding that was arranged so neatly on their bed.

It was almost surprising that Lance hadn’t always been an omega, given how quickly he’d started nesting after getting the news of his pregnancy. He’d started with the bedding, all the comforters and sheets that weren’t ruined by Sendak’s constant knotting of Shiro.

Sendak had allowed them to start wearing clothes when Lance had run out of bedding and began practically climbing the walls in frustration. He’d also allowed Lance access to his laundry. Shiro had seen the internal struggle that Lance had gone through, biting his lip and shifting his weight from foot to foot, before giving into his instincts and taking an armful of his Alpha’s clothes to his nest on Sendak’s bed.

By now, there was really no need for clothes for them anymore, except to replenish the scents on some of the older articles in the nests. Still, there was a lot of cloth on their bed, and Shiro’s instincts were a huge question mark on what to do with them. He didn’t want to upset Lance, but he had no idea on the proper way to move a nest.

Sighing deeply, he decided ‘fuck it’ and grabbed an armload of clothes and bedding. He carried it over to Sendak’s bed, dropping it on the mattress.

“Here you go,” he grunted, before going back for another trip.

Thankfully, Lance didn’t look upset at how badly Shiro had mangled his nest, and was in the process of rearranging everything on the bed. He was mixing up the nests, purring softly in contentment as he did so.

Shiro perched on the edge of the bed when he was done moving the nest, watching Lance adjust everything. He smiled, fondness uncurling in his chest as he watched Lance.

This was the scene that Sendak came back to, holding a tray full of Galra fruits and sweets.

“I see that the brat’s hard at work,” he commented, standing next to Shiro.

Shiro looked up at him, nodding. “I think he’s trying to mix the nests up now that he only has one.”

They waited until Lance was content with how the nest looked and invited them in before climbing into his nest and settling in. Tired from all his moving around, Lance curled up into their laps. His eyes were drooping, face awash with exhaustion, and Shiro ran his fingers through Lance’s hair soothingly.

Lance’s purrs got louder, and he pressed his head up into Shiro’s touch, body relaxing instantly.

Sendak pressed a soft hand on Lance’s belly, rubbing the skin there gently. “I had some sweets and fruits sent for in order to celebrate the good news. Would you like some?”

Lance opened his eyes, looking at Sendak with tired eyes. “Yes, please, Alpha.”

Sendak’s smile was large.

Shiro was given the first sweet. Sendak grabbed it gently, holding it to Shiro’s lips, who opened them obediently. Shiro closed his eyes, letting his lips brush against Sendak’s fingers, and before he began to chew he pressed a soft kiss to Sendak’s claws in the show of the perfect omega.

It was clear that Sendak was ecstatic, eyes fixated on Lance’s stomach, then to Shiro’s, then to Lance’s again. Shiro took deep breaths, reminding himself that he and Lance were safe, that even if Sendak cared nothing about them, he wanted the cubs that they carried.

Lance got the next treat. He was less enthusiastic, body struggling to heal itself and keep both Lance and the cub healthy and making him always so tired in the process. Shiro had no doubt that when the baby arrived, they were going to take a lot longer to grow than a normal Galra cub. But they’d hopefully be out by then, so they wouldn’t have to live with Sendak looking down on them for that.

Still, Lance seemed to enjoy the sweetness, lips curling into a smile as he chewed. It had been so long for him, so much time filled with beatings and pain, that cuddling and treats was something that was beyond welcomed, even at Sendak’s hands. Shiro kept massaging Lance’s scalp, helping him to relax. The Druids had relayed to Sendak through Haggar that Lance’s body was too weak to be put through any sort of stress for the entirety of his pregnancy, at risk of the cub, and that every step was to be taken to make sure that he be taken care of and made relaxed.

Shiro had no problem with that whatsoever.

“You have both made me a proud Alpha today,” Sendak murmured, pressing a piece of fruit against Shiro’s lips.

Shiro took the fruit, inclining his head respectfully and chewing.

“You’ve both not only been good enough omegas to catch, but you both caught so close to each other. I will have the joy of watching my omegas raise my cubs side by side. With any luck, and with no lack of trying, I don’t intend for these to be the last cubs you bear me. You’ve both proven to be fertile, strong omegas. Even you, brat. I’m going to keep you both by my side forever, and I will enjoy seeing you both swell with my cubs time and time again.”

Shiro’s heart clenched, the idea of doing this even one more time making his stomach churn. He loved this baby, and it had done nothing wrong, but he hadn’t wanted to carry a child, and he didn’t intend on carrying another. With luck, he reminded himself, the Blade and the Paladins would find them and rescue them before they even gave birth, and their babies would never have to know about Sendak and how truly awful he was.

He looked down at Lance and only saw a lack of hope in his eyes. He couldn’t blame him. It was so much harder for him, not being able to have access to Black, to Allura, the way Shiro did. He only had access to Blue, and that wasn’t as strong as Shiro’s connection to Black.

So he rubbed Lance’s shoulder, trying to convey hope, to convey peace, to remind him that help was coming, if he could only be patient. Their babies would buy them time. They just had to hold on for a little bit longer.

Lance was quiet, subdued, for the rest of the time that Sendak kept feeding them. Shiro could tell that he no longer felt like himself, that he was no longer enjoying the sweetness of the food and the warmth of their bodies. Instead, he’d retreated into his head, the way he was so apt to do more and more as of late. Shiro couldn’t entirely blame him, but it wasn’t healthy.

While he tried to figure out what to do about Lance’s sudden drop in mood, all the food on the tray was eaten, and Lance had drifted off to sleep. Sendak looked down at him, face unreadable, before silently and gently extricating himself from under Lance’s form.

“Let him sleep for as long as he needs to. I need to go make arrangements for a second cub now that I have the news, and that will take some time. Take care of him. I will return later.”

Shiro nodded and watched Sendak leave silently. He looked down at Lance’s sleeping form when the Alpha was gone, concern creasing his features. It was hard not to be scared that something bad was going to happen to Lance. He was just so lethargic all the time. Shiro was sometimes scared that Lance wasn’t going to make it out of childbirth.

Closing his eyes, he focused on those fears, visualizing them and lumping them into his lungs, before imagining that they were filtering out of him as he breathed. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t fall prey to this, not when Lance needed him this badly. Fear was something for when he was truly alone, and he wasn’t alone. He had to be strong for his Paladin, for his Pride.

He called for Black, tugging on their bond and alerting her that he required her presence and that he needed her by his side. She answered his call quickly, ever alert to his needs. He could feel the anxiety rolling off of her. After all, they could hide their fears and insecurities from their Prides, but they couldn’t hide them from each other. Their fears ran along the same veins, had the same currents.

Shiro let her run her comfort over him, and he gave her the same assurances back. He felt her surprise when she noticed the tiny spark of life he carried within him, and he closed his eyes as she pressed her large forehead against his belly, breathing out softly.

She knew that he intended to raise this child as his own. She felt the same love that he did.

He smiled, pressing a hand to the top of her head and pressing a kiss to it.

“Is there any way I can speak to Allura?”

Shiro felt a wave of affirmation sweep him, and within a few moments, Allura flickered into the astral plane before him.

She was in her regular dress, and she seemed surprised to see him, as it was not their usual time that they spoke to each other, but she was happy nonetheless.

“Princess,” he greeted, bowing his head.

“Shiro, please.” She walked forward, pulling him into a hug. “It’s good to see you again. What brings you?”

“I have news that you needed to know as soon as possible.” He reached up, grabbing her hands and placing them on his stomach.

Allura gasped at the implications, looking between the bare skin of his stomach and his face. “You too?”

Shiro released her hands before sitting in the same way as their previous visit. “It seems that Sendak’s…” He grimaced. “...persistence paid off. This is both good news and bad news. Good news, it buys you all a little more time. Bad news, if something happens to either of us or our babies, Sendak won’t take it well. He has this whole fantasy planned out, and his Alpha instincts are in overdrive right now. This is both the best and the worst time frame to attempt a rescue.”

Allura nodded, and she seemed to be thinking deeply. “I see. This will all be taken into consideration. We are getting closer every day. Please, just hold on a little longer, Shiro.”

Shiro nodded, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “I’m not worried for myself. I can keep holding on for the entirety of my pregnancy if I have to. I’m just worried about Lance. Being pregnant has been really tough on him, and I’m concerned.”

Allura pursed her lips. “We will do everything in our power to save you all. Altean reproductive technology was unsurpassed. Lance and his baby will be perfectly safe if I have anything to say about it.”

She paused, seemingly realizing something.

“Unless…” She paused again, face full of apprehension.

“Unless what?” Shiro felt dread overcome him, a prickling feeling that burrowed under his skin.

“Does Lance want this child?” Allura asked softly. “I need to know so that the proper accommodations can be made. But if Lance does not want this child, he will not be forced to keep it. I am unsure of how Galra pregnancies work, much less that of a Galra and Human hybrid, so I am unsure at what point pregnancies such as either of yours may be terminated. That being said, we will work with Lance in whatever his wishes may be. I am sure that we can arrange with the Blade for someone to take the child and raise them.”

Shiro blinked, biting his lip as he thought over what Allura was asking.

“I’m not sure,” he responded finally, running a hand through his hair. “I’ll have to ask him and get back to you about his answer.”

Allura nodded, accepting his answer. “And you, Shiro? Do you intend to keep this child?”

Shiro pressed his hands to his stomach lovingly, closing his eyes and trying desperately, once again, to imagine what his baby was going to look like.

He nodded. “Yes. I want them. I want to see them grow and be there for them.”

“Very well. I will make sure that we prepare the proper accommodations for your child.”

“Thank you, Allura.”

Allura smiled. “You are going to make an amazing parent, Shiro.”

Shiro smiled back, ducking his head with pride.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him and he looked back up at Allura.

“Can I ask you for a favor?”

Allura nodded. “Anything that you need, Shiro.”

“When you’re putting together the preparations for me and Lance, could you put them all in the same room? Lance and I don’t like to sleep apart anymore.”

Allura’s smile was fond and knowing. “Of course.”

Relief swelled in Shiro’s chest. “Thank you.”

Allura smiled reassuringly at Shiro, reaching over and clutching his hand.

“We will get you out of there. I promise you.”

Shiro sighed, clutching her hand tighter and wishing with every fiber in his being that he could actually be touching her, that it was her actual flesh in his hand and not just an astral projection mediated by their bond through Black.

“I’m going to go now, and make sure that we get everything moving faster. Call for me if you need me.”

“Okay.”

He watched as she smiled one more time at him, before blinking out of the astral plane. Shiro was left all alone with Black, who curled around him.

He leaned back against the cool metal of her torso, closing his eyes and soaking in her love and reassurance. Shiro turned his head, pressing his cheek against  Black and nuzzling her. Black turned her large head, affectionately prodding him with her large nose.

Shiro felt a wave of affection from her, something that reminded him of when he was younger. He was suddenly a small child again, wrapped up in his mother’s arms as she comforted him and told him stories to help him fall asleep faster. Black nudged him again, and Shiro had the thought that maybe if she wasn’t a robot, she’d be grooming him with her tongue.

He told her as much, and she blew a puff of air over his head, amused. Still, she didn’t deny it.

“Black?”

Her silence was open, curious.

“You’re a mom to the other lions, right? Or, as close to a mom as you can be, I guess.” She nodded her head, and he knew that she understood what he was going to ask.

He asked anyways.

“What’s it like, being a mother?”

Shiro felt the mental equivalent of a warm smile wash over him, and he leaned even closer into her body. He closed his eyes, seeing through her eyes all the love she had for her Lions, for Blue and Red and Yellow and Green, for their rambunctiousness and their playfulness. He saw the bouts of irritation, followed by apologies and reconnections. He saw the bond, the knowledge that they were all inextricably tied together through their love, their arguments, their battle scars. He saw her pride in her Pride, and he sighed happily.

Then a thought occurred to him, and he laughed softly.

Black’s inquisitive feeling poked at his brain.

“I was just thinking,” he explained. “We may not have spent that much time together before Lance and I got taken, but what you showed me reminded me of my relationship with the Paladins.” He shook his head, amused. “I guess in some way or another I was always destined to become a parent.”

A flickering memory of Allura’s smiling face suddenly appeared before him, courtesy of Black.

_“You are going to make an amazing parent, Shiro.”_

Tears pricked at his eyes suddenly, and he tried valiantly to blink them away. Black nudged him again with her nose, and then suddenly, he couldn’t keep them away any longer.

The fear. The hopelessness. The anxiety for his baby. For Lance. For the Paladins. He couldn’t show any of this, not anywhere but here.

It all welled up in him and flowed out, and he could feel Black’s understanding. She knew the pressure to be strong, to be unable to show weakness. She, out of everyone, understood him. She, out of everyone, would never pity or judge him.

Her body was curled up around him protectively, and she let him get everything out without ever interrupting him. He sighed shakily when he was done, rubbing a hand over his face.

Shiro felt drained. He felt as if his every emotion had been ripped form him, siphoned away and leaving behind an empty shell. Yet, he felt lighter. And he somehow knew that the drained feeling was only temporary, his mind’s defense from feeling too much and hurting itself in the process.

He sighed again, this time a little fuller, a little stronger. Pride that was not his own flitted over him, draping over him and pulling his shoulders a little taller. He looked up.

“Thanks, Black.”

Shiro knew that she’d be smiling if she could. As it was, her tail flicked from side to side in that slow, steady manner that Shiro had seen a million times before in pleased cats.

“I love you, Black.”

Her responding love soothed him, wrapping around him and gently reminding him that he had a mate to take care of.

Shiro nodded, thanking her and pressing his forehead to hers lovingly as a goodbye, before slowly letting himself drift back into his body.

His eyes opened slowly, and as he shifted around to lay next to Lance, the sleeping Paladin stirred. Lance’s eyelashes fluttered softly, contrasting against his brown skin which had become so much paler as of late, opening to show his bleary blue eyes.

“Shiro?” he slurred, lifting his head. “Is everything okay?”

He nodded, shushing Lance and pressing a kiss to his forehead to soothe him. “I just got done talking to Allura. I had to give her updates, after all.”

“Oh.” Lance rested his head against Shiro’s chest, chest falling as he let out a labored breath. “I’m tired.”

“I know you are.” Shiro shifted underneath Lance, moving so that Lance was pressed almost completely against him. Lance responded happily, tucking his head underneath Shiro’s chin and kissing the skin there. “We need to talk though. Allura told me to ask you something so that she can make the proper preparations, and I realized that it’s something that we’ve never actually talked about.”

Lance turned onto his side to take some pressure off of his stomach, groaning softly and wrapping an arm around Shiro’s torso lazily. “What did Allura want to know?”

“Well,” Shiro started, lightly running his fingers up and down Lance’s arm. “She wanted to know about your baby, and what your plans are. Particularly if you’re going to want to keep them. She said that she doesn’t know much about Galra pregnancies, and also that there’s no concrete timeline on our rescue yet, so there’s no telling if an abortion will still be feasible if you want one. But she said that, if you don’t want to raise the baby, that she could talk to Kolivan and arrange for a Blade member to take the baby and raise them as their own.”

Lance stiffened in Shiro’s arms as he spoke. Shiro couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t something that most people would take lightly. And family was important to Lance.

But still. There was still the matter of _how_ this baby had come to be, and whether Lance would be able to handle that.

“I…”

Lance’s voice cut off, choked with tears. Shiro pulled back, concerned, but Lance seemed to be holding himself together well enough that Shiro felt comfortable enough to just hug him.

At first, Lance didn’t respond, body shaking slightly, but slowly, surely, he relaxed in Shiro’s arms.

“We don’t have to talk about this right now.”

“I just… never thought about it before.”

“Thought about what?”

“The future. What comes after.” Fingers clenched tightly onto Shiro’s arms, enough that Shiro thought he might bruise, but Shiro didn’t make a noise. “I never thought about what would happen after our rescue, because I only ever focused on just surviving until we get rescued.”

Shiro’s heart cracked. He ran his hands up and down Lance’s back, making soothing noises. “Hey, that’s okay. That’s okay. You did what was best for you. And you don’t have to make a decision now. This is just a question to get you thinking, so that you can acclimate yourself to certain ideas and then make a decision from there. We have time.”

Lance shook his head. “No. _No_ . I don’t want to wait to make a decision. I know what I want. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know when we’re getting out of here. But Shiro, I want a family. I want one so badly. And I’m not giving this baby up. They’re going to be the light of my life. I’m going to raise them. I’m going to see them laugh and smile. I’m going to watch them walk and talk. I’m going to watch them _live_. And I’m going to do that with you by my side.”

He felt Lance grab his hand, lacing their fingers together, and as Lance pulled back to meet his eyes, he saw something.

Lance was tired. He was the palest that Shiro had ever seen him. His skin was clammy to the touch, and colder than it should be. His body was finally starting to heal from the bruises, but now they were yellow and green, leaving him even more sickly looking than before. His body was beaten down, and Shiro was still worried.

But there, for the first time in a while, was that spark. It wasn’t a roaring blaze, or even a fire yet. It was just the tiniest of embers, shyly and dimly lighting up his darkened and dull eyes. Still, it was there.

And Shiro knew that if anyone could make that ember bring life, Lance could.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, thank you so much for sticking with this fic  
> I know it hasn't been fun waiting for so long  
> <3

Shiro rested his hands on Lance’s hips, humming softly into his lips as they lazily traded kisses. It seemed that this was quickly becoming one of Sendak’s favorite pastimes, watching his two pregnant omegas rub on each other and kiss until they were both soaked. Shiro didn’t enjoy Sendak’s eyes, but if he closed his own and just focused on Lance’s skin, Lance’s tongue, Lance’s whimpers, it got easier.

Lance himself was already starting to ride the wave of hormones that almost always had him gushing, now that some color had returned to his face and he’d started forcing himself to eat better. A firm decision looked good on Lance, and Lance had decided that he was going to protect his baby at any cost. He still may not have been at a hundred percent, but he was getting better enough that his body was allowing sex.

His mind on the thought of sex, Shiro reached his metal hand back to Lance’s ass, trailing smooth slick around in nonsensical patterns before pressing softly at his hole. A broken moan punched itself out of Lance’s lips. He broke from the kiss to press loving bites at Shiro’s shoulder, although he never went near the mating mark left behind by Sendak. They both knew the consequences for that.

Savoring in Lance’s labored breaths and the way his swollen belly pressed up against Shiro’s own forming bump, Shiro pressed a finger in. He moved it around, making sure that there was enough give, before adding another to play with his rim. Lance shivered against him, hands scratching at his back as he pressed his mouth to Shiro’s skin again and again.

What a fucking blessing Lance was, he thought, turning his head to nibble softly at the nearest skin available to him and running his fingers through Lance’s hair. Here he was, so pliant, so beautiful, giving himself completely to Shiro without a moment’s hesitation. God, but he loved him so much.

“I’m going to make you come like this,” Shiro whispered hoarsely.

He brushed away his flaring protectiveness and anger when Sendak made a pleased noise, trying to focus on bringing more pleasure to Lance instead of the unmistakable sound of the Galra pleasuring himself only feet away from them.

“Do you think you can come like this?” he asked, dragging his teeth across the lobe of Lance’s ear.

Lance gasped for air, body quaking, and shook his head.

“More. I need more.  _ Please _ .”

Sendak chuckled. “That’s all I’m allowing him to give you. If you want more, you’re going to have to beg me.”

Shiro could  _ hear _ the way Sendak slowed his pumps on his cock, delaying his own pleasure as they both tried desperately not to make eye contact. Shiro didn’t pause in his movements, knowing he wasn’t allowed to, and pressed sweet kisses to the top of Lance’s head. Lance only moaned quietly in response, body shaking as he tried to fuck himself back onto Shiro’s fingers. Shiro anticipated the move, however, and skirted his fingers back as he tried not to turn Sendak’s mood.

Lance keened pitifully, hands scrabbling uselessly at Shiro’s skin in search of more pleasure. Shiro internally praised him for not even trying to touch himself, both of them knowing the consequences for that. Still, he knew that Lance was more in his head now, farther from coming, and he knew what Lance was going to have to do.

“Are you going to beg, brat?” Sendak taunted. “Or are you going to sit there, unfinished and unsatisfied?”

Shiro felt Lance squirming in his lap, chasing pleasure. He could tell the moment Lance gave in, because his fingernails dug so hard into the skin of Shiro’s back he was sure that the skin beneath them broke, before slumping into Shiro’s lap and whining softly.

“ _ Please _ ,” Lance breathed, soft but audible to the two occupants in the room. “Alpha, please. I need more.”

“Need more what?” Shiro could hear the dark pleasure lacing Sendak’s voice.

“Need more pleasure, Alpha.”

Sendak hummed, and Shiro snuck a peek to see the Alpha leaning back in his chair, cock forgotten as he allowed Lance’s humiliation to pleasure him. Of course, Sendak caught Shiro looking, and caught his eyes with a self-satisfied smirk and a dark laugh as he resumed pleasuring himself.

“And  _ why _ do you want more pleasure? You look to be enjoying yourself enough, fucking yourself on another omega’s fingers like a proper slut.”

Lance gasped for air, burying his face deep into Shiro’s neck. Shiro could see the flush that was trailing down his neck and chest become a deeper red.

“I want to come, Alpha. Please. I want to come so badly.”

Sendak simpered at Lance mockingly. “Oh, my poor little brat. So deprived of pleasure that he begs like a common whore.”

Shiro heard the sounds from next to them stop, and suddenly the area on the mattress next to him dipped. He didn’t have to turn and look to know that Sendak was joining them on the bed, but he did anyway with wary eyes. The Galra crawled behind them, towering just behind Shiro’s back, and pried Lance’s head from where it was buried in Shiro’s neck.

He leaned in close, eyes predatory. “You want to come so bad, brat? Do it while you’re looking me in the eyes.”

Lance’s entire body tensed in Shiro’s hold, although when his hole tensed around Shiro’s fingers, he heard the soft grunt of pleasure that Lance let out.

“Don’t close your eyes, brat. I want to see every emotion that passes through those beautiful eyes of yours.”

A clawed hand rested on Shiro’s hip. “Fuck him well with your fingers, omega.”

Shiro nodded. “Yes, Alpha.”

His fingers pressed deep into Lance, searching immediately for his partner’s prostate to get this over with as soon as possible. Shiro felt Lance’s entire body jerk in his arms at the sudden onslaught of pleasure, and he set to work to try and help Lance as best as he could. He pressed another finger in and found Lance’s prostate again before pressing into it relentlessly. Lance cried out, body spasming as he gripped Shiro’s human arm hard enough to bruise.

“Shiro,  _ please _ ,” he begged. “I can’t. I can’t. It’s too much.”

Sendak tsked. “What a stupid little omega. Begs for more, only to say that it’s too much when he gets what he asked for. Don’t mind the brat, omega. Keep up this pace.”

Shiro nodded, stroking up and down Lance’s back as his prosthetic kept up the assault on Lance’s prostate. He tried to tune everything out except his actions, focusing on getting Lance to come as quickly as possible. When Lance’s body finally stiffened up against Shiro’s, before slumping down into the wet warmth covering Shiro’s hip, Shiro pulled out his fingers. He could still hear the echo of Lance’s cry in his ears.

Behind him, he heard Sendak’s labored breaths. He could feel the Alpha’s fist knock up against his back every once in a while, he was so close.

Sendak growled in warning. “I didn’t tell you to stop, omega.”

Shiro suddenly felt cold. “But he came, Alpha.”

A tongue swiped its way up his neck, teeth scraping the skin there. “But I didn’t tell you to  _ stop _ ,” was the soft sentence spoken against his carotid.

Closing his eyes, Shiro took a deep and shaky breath. “I’m sorry, Lance,” he whispered, before pressing his fingers in again.

Lance jerked hard and Shiro heard a choked off whine coming from his throat.

“No,” he gasped weakly, reaching over Shiro’s shoulders, presumably to try and appeal to Sendak. “No. Please, Alpha. I can’t come again. It’s too much.”

Shiro didn’t fight Lance’s squirming as well as he could have, trying to give him some mercy as the other omega tried desperately to get his fingers away from his prostate. Sendak caught on, though, far too quickly, and suddenly a metal claw was pressing down on Lance’s back, keeping him in place.

There was the distinct smell of desperation in the room, quickly followed by a trail of salt, and suddenly Lance was sobbing into Shiro’s skin.

“ _ Alpha _ ,” he sobbed. “Please make him stop. Stop this. Please. I don’t want this.”

Sendak didn’t respond except to jerk himself off faster.

Lance devolved into a pitiful mess of almost incoherent ‘no’s and ‘stop’s, tears steadily dripping onto Shiro’s shoulder. Shiro kept apologizing in his mind, but didn’t dare stop until he was told.

Finally, though, there was the sensation of warm stripes of come decorating Shiro’s back, and Sendak sighed in contentment.

“You may stop, omega.”

Shiro pulled his fingers out of Lance as if he’d been burned, and Lance melted against him, tears still dropping at an alarming speed. Shiro wiped his prosthetic fingers on the sheets, before grabbing a random shirt from the nest that surrounded them. He pulled Lance’s face up so that he could gently wipe away all the tears and snot that were accumulating, then his shoulder. Sendak tossed the bits of nest that were closest to him off of the bed, then got off the mattress himself.

There was the feeling of the sheets wiping the come off of Shiro’s back, and then Sendak was knocking the rest of the nest off.

“Come on. Both of you to the other bed. The machine will change the sheets, and I’m going to go deal with important matters. Fix this mess when the new bedding is on.”

Shiro nodded, not really looking up from where he was helping Lance off of the bed. “Yes, Alpha.”

There was the sound of footsteps, then the sound of the door unlocking to let Sendak out, only to lock again when it shut. Meanwhile, Shiro cursed his inability to lift anything for fear of hurting the baby. Every step Lance took was wobbly and slow, and he was still sniffling softly and wiping away the small tears that would escape.

When they reached the bed, Shiro helped Lance into it and immediately set to work making him comfortable. Still holding the now soiled shirt, he brought a still dry piece to Lance’s eyes, wiping away the rest of his tears and letting him blow his nose into it. Letting it drop off of the side of the bed to the floor, Shiro immediately started nuzzling and scenting Lance to try and comfort him.

“I’m so so sorry, Lance,” he whispered.

Lance was clutching to him like a lifeline, quaking against him. “I love you, Shiro, and I’m not mad at you. Just please don’t leave me.”

“Not now. Not ever,” Shiro vowed, pressing loving kisses all over Lance’s face. “What do you need, baby?”

“Hold me?”

And fuck if that wasn’t the most heartbreaking thing Shiro had ever heard. He could swear that his heart cracked at those words and the tone they were said in.

‘ _ Please, please, come quickly Allura _ ,’ he thought as he wrapped Lance up in a warm hug and rocked him comfortingly.

They both dozed until the bed beeped at them and signaled that it was made up and ready. Unsure of when Sendak would return, Shiro gently woke Lance.

“Did you want to rebuild your nest?” he whispered. “Or I can try, and you can fix it later.”

Lance cracked a pained smile. “Please. If I let you anywhere  _ near _ my nest while it needed building or fixing, it’d look like some unmated Alpha had attempted it.”

Shiro playfully pressed a hand over his heart. “You wound me.” Leaning in, he pressed a sweet kiss to Lance’s forehead. “You’re right though. I’m hopeless.”

He helped Lance up and off of the bed and watched him take a few steps towards the bed, ready to help if it was needed. Luckily for the both of them, though, Lance was able to walk on his own, taking a deep breath as he started towards the ruined nest.

Shiro took his own initiative to toss the tear soaked shirt in the laundry before he was right back next to Lance. He was able to walk, but figured out quickly that bending down was difficult, both due to pain and his ever growing belly. Shiro offered to help, and soon was grabbing each item that Lance wanted and giving it to him. It wasn’t much, but he was helping in building the nest, and it made him feel wanted on a level few things ever had before.

At one point, Lance sighed, and Shiro glanced up from the floor. He stood back up and handed Lance the pillow he’d requested.

“Is everything okay?”

Lance looked at him curiously. Then he seemed to realize the question that Shiro had asked and shook his head. Putting the pillow in its proper place, he frowned at the nest. “It smells wrong.”

Shiro looked between the building nest and Lance, before leaning in to take a deep breath. He could smell the both of them and Sendak, all pretty strong. Confused, he turned back to Lance.

“I don’t smell anything weird. What is it?”

Lance shrugged. “Sendak’s smell. It’s too strong. Too… turned on. And I can smell fear.” He shook his head. “A nest isn’t supposed to smell like that.”

Turning back to the nest and knowing what he was looking for, it was easy now to spot what Lance had been talking about. He could smell the remnants of Sendak’s come, of his sweat, and it reminded him viscerally of being pinned under the Alpha. Shuddering, he moved on and caught Lance’s smell, laced with the desperation he’d smelled earlier, and something else he must have blocked out in the heat of the moment: fear. Fear for their lives and for the lives of their babies, he assumed.

He didn’t like it either.

Sighing as well, he handed Lance the shirt that his partner asked for, before leaning in to nuzzle his jaw.

“I’m sorry. I don’t like it either, not anymore. And I know that neither one of us is gonna want to get in it, but we will, and we’ll cuddle and take a nap together, and we’ll work on getting rid of that smell, okay?”

Lance nodded, leaning into Shiro’s touch and closing his eyes. “Yeah, okay.”

The rest of the work went quietly, the both of them working in tandem to finish the rest of the nest. It was slow going, what with Lance’s lingering shakiness and Shiro’s innate inability to build a nest, but they got it done.

They shared a look with each other when it was done, both of them hesitant to be the first one to get into the nest. Taking a deep breath, Shiro decided to bite the bullet and climbed in, somehow not disturbing the little wall surrounding the bed. He reached his hand out to Lance, who took it after the smallest moment’s hesitation, helping him in too.

Surprisingly, it was Lance who messed up the freshly made nest, spilling a pile of clothes and a couple of pillows inwards. Lance tutted, immediately going to fix it. Sure, the nest would acquire a more lived in feel as time passed, but Shiro knew that Lance wanted to enjoy his crisp boundaries for as long as possible.

He laughed softly, crawling over to Lance and giving him a bunch of kisses.

Lance giggled, scrunching his neck up and swatting at Shiro. “Not now, Shiro. I’m fixing this.”

“Yeah, and you’re really cute when you fuss over a brand new nest.”

Lance hummed, putting the last pillow in its proper place, before turning and pushing Shiro onto the bed with a huff.

“You’re so rude,” he faux-pouted, crossing his arms as he looked down at Shiro.

Shiro just laughed and reached up, pulling Lance down gently and kissing him. It was sweet and chaste, and they smiled against each other’s lips.

“Yeah, I can be pretty rude,” Shiro whispered. “But you love me anyways.”

“Don’t call me out like that,” Lance murmured, nosing along Shiro’s cheekbone.

“Too late.”

They shifted around until they were both comfortable, and Shiro enjoyed the warmth that Lance gave off as they pulled the blanket above them.

“Hey Shiro?”

Shiro hummed, eyes closed. “Yeah?”

There was a pause from Lance. “You didn’t come earlier, did you?”

Wondering where this was going, Shiro shook his head. “No, I didn’t.”

“Oh.” There was another pause from Lance, and Shiro could practically feel another question threatening to spill from his lips.

A deep breath. “Didn’t you want to?”

Shiro considered. “Did I want to come?”

Lance nodded.

A shrug. “Sure, at first I did. You were so beautiful, after all. I couldn’t see you like that and  _ not _ be affected.”

“But?”

“But… Then Sendak got involved. I can force myself to be turned on when it’s just him, because I can lose myself in a fantasy and pretend that something else is happening. It’s not so easy when he was targeting you using me.”

“Really?”

The question was quiet, cautious, and Shiro thought back to when Lance was crying and shaking so hard Shiro could feel it in his bones.

“Yeah.” Shiro grabbed Lance’s hand, bringing it up to his lips and kissing the back of it. “You mean so much to me, Lance. I want to protect you. Not being able to, being forced to be the source of your distress… Well. I lost my hard on pretty fast. I also stopped producing slick.”

Lance burrowed deeper into Shiro’s chest, and an arm wrapped around his waist.

“I love you. So much.”

“I love you too, Lance.”

He reached up, petting Lance’s hair and massaging the scalp. The thought briefly crossed his mind that his hair was longer than he’d ever seen it before. Of course, neither of them were growing beards as omegas. But their hair was still growing relatively quickly.

Then Lance tucked his head in under Shiro’s chin, and he abandoned that thought pattern in favor of curling protectively around him and closing his eyes. His last thought as he went to sleep was a quiet purr in the back of his head, Black rumbling her approval at his innate desire to protect his mate.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this is definitely a shorter chapter, but i really liked where it stopped, soooo  
> i hope y'all enjoy  
> we're so close to the end here

The three of them woke to a loud rumble, followed by the ship lurching as something presumably hit it. When the alarms went off not a second later, Sendak threw the blankets off with a curse. He stumbled over the walls of the nest, throwing another curse in Lance’s direction as he demolished it without even a thought.

Lance shrank back into Shiro’s body, looking up at him with sudden hope in his eyes. He’d let himself begin to believe that this was going to become his life as he watched his stomach swell with each day. Pressing back against Shiro’s similarly swollen stomach and putting a hand on his own, Lance prayed desperately that this was Voltron, that they were going to be saved, that this nightmare was on its final chapter.

The moment Sendak had all of his armor on, he grabbed the chains that he’d left at the foot of the bed for the increasingly rare times that he wanted to keep them tied up. Without a word, he pulled both of their ankles to the foot of the bed and latched the cuffs around them.

“I’ll be back to retrieve the both of you when I’ve assessed the threat.”

The moment he’d left, Lance rushed towards their ankles, checking the cuffs just in case Sendak had attached them improperly in his haste. Slumping backwards in defeat as he realized that no, they were solidly sealed.

“Guess we’ll have to wait for them to come to us,” Lance sighed. Reflexively, his hand rested on his stomach again, and he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he was letting himself hope  _ too _ much. “If that’s even them here.”

Shiro pressed close to Lance, and he could feel Shiro press a quieting kiss to the top of his head.

“I’m sure that it’s them. I can feel Black, and she feels close.” He breathed softly into Lance’s hair, ruffling the strands and making a tingle run down Lance’s spine. “Do you feel Blue?”

Closing his eyes and breathing softly, Lance ran through the familiar exercises that connected him with his lion. Ridden with anxiety as he was, he almost wasn’t able to focus himself enough, but he forced himself to push past it. Soon, it was there, clear as day. He could feel her, his Blue, and she was closer and stronger than ever before.

There was a particularly strong shudder from the ship, and Lance could feel Blue’s satisfaction at having created as big a dent as she did. She bounded in his mind, as excited as he was to finally be so close to each other, and Lance couldn’t help but feel a little nauseous in his desire to be free.

Then, the nausea was unlike anything he’d ever felt, and distracted by the growing intensity of it, Lance focused more on his general stomach area, keeping his link to Blue in the back of his mind. He pressed his hand onto his stomach, trying to figure out what was happening, when it hit him.

Or… The baby hit him.

He gasped loudly, opening his eyes, and a roar of victory resounded in his head, Blue’s elation mixing with his own.

“What’s wrong?” Shiro’s voice was full of concern, and Lance turned to him, eyes filled with unshed tears as he wordlessly grabbed Shiro’s hand and placed it on his stomach.

The baby kicked some more, the first he’d ever felt of them, and seeing Shiro’s face light up with wonder was the most beautiful thing he’d seen. Shiro’s baby had already been kicking for a while, and it had concerned Lance that he hadn’t felt anything, but he had tried to reassure himself that maybe his baby was just calm and didn’t want to kick.

This moment, even with a battle raging outside, made his heart swell.

Shiro pulled him into a deep and loving kiss, whispering reassurances to him, and for the first time in a long time, Lance believed him. Really, truly believed him, with no doubt lurking in the back of his mind. His baby was okay, Shiro was still here, and they were so close to being rescued.

Of course, the universe decided that Lance’s break had lasted for long enough, and something jarred the ship hard enough to turn it on its side, dumping both he and Shiro out of the bed and onto the hard ground. He groaned, clutching at his suddenly pounding head, and the surge of desperation from Blue as she felt him get injured only made it worse.

The moment everything felt clear again, his first thought was for his baby. Grabbing his belly, he took shallow breaths, trying to see if they would kick again, reassure him that things were going to be okay.

“Come on,” he whispered. “Please. I need you to kick me again,  _ corazon _ . Let me know you’re okay.”

What seemed like long, drawn out minutes, but were probably seconds, later, he felt that same little push. Sighing in relief, he slumped down, the hand around his heart unclenching just a little.

With his worries about his baby alleviated, Lance looked around quickly to find Shiro. The other omega was crawling towards him, holding onto the bed for balance. Thanking every deity he could think of for the design forethought that had all the ship’s furniture bolted to the floor, Lance made his way towards his mate, reaching out for him.

Shiro’s hand was firm, pulling him to the bed with only a soft grunt, and they held on as the ship shuddered around them.

“What do we do? How are we going to get to them?”

Shiro shook his head, pulling Lance close and pressing Lance’s forehead against his chest.

“We can’t. Even if I could get rid of these chains, there are armed Galra all around, and we don’t know what we’re doing or where we’re going. If we go in blind, they’ll kill us and our babies.” A soothing hand rubbed up and down his back. “Our best bet is to stay here and hold onto the bed so that we don’t fall over again. I’m sure they know where we are, and they’ll be here soon.”

“If Sendak doesn’t come for us first.”

Shiro’s arm tightened minutely around him. “We can only hope.”

They stayed there, wrapped in each other’s arms and checking in on each other during each bad lurch. When their arms got tired of holding on, they would switch, always making sure to stay inches from each other.

It seemed as if the battle was raging much longer than usual, and worry started to seep into Lance’s thoughts, slowly tainting more and more of them. Before he could reach his breaking point, however, the door swung open, and they both looked to see who’d arrived. Lance prayed desperately in the split second it took to turn his head, only for his heart to sink into his stomach when he saw the two Galra sentries entering the room.

“Come with us.”

Lance pressed back against Shiro, heart racing as the two Galra approached.

“Shiro, what do we do?”

His mate shushed him, running a hand down his arm and leaning down to quickly whisper in his ear. “We’re going to have to go with them, and we’ll run when we see our first opening.”

Lance nodded slowly, and the two sentires cut the chains from the bed, each holding one as they motioned them up and out. They walked together, and Lance knew that Shiro was doing the same as him, taking in every detail of the ship, watching every movement around them and looking for even the smallest window. Shiro would probably be better at it, having escaped a Galra ship before, so Lance knew that he would more than likely have to take his cue from him.

There was a moment, as they turned into a corridor that had no Galra, that they pressed into each other’s arms in a silent communication that this was it. In that exact moment, however, two Galra soldiers rounded the corner, stopping in front of the sentries.

“What are you two doing with Commander Sendak's omegas?”

“We have orders to take them to Commander Sendak.”

The second Galra drew his sword, and Lance's blood turned ice cold.

“Commander Sendak specified that he was going to get them himself. You will not be allowed to take them any further.”

The sentries made a sudden, sharp shrill of feedback, before a roar sounded in the distance and Sendak's voice poured from the ship's speakers.

“My omegas have been taken. Bring them back to me or I will kill you all.”

The feedback from the sentries intensified, at a pitch that hurt Lance's ears but sent the Galra to their knees, and under it all, he heard Pidge's voice crackle as the sentries dropped their chains. “Run straight. Keith will find you guys.”

Not stopping to question it, Lance and Shiro both broke into sprints, their chains rattling behind them as they ran. Their speed wasn't anywhere near before, the months of food and lack of exercise stripping them of their peak condition. Lance's problematic pregnancy and length into his term made him slower, causing Shiro to slow to his pace. At any other time, he would have demanded that Shiro leave him behind and save himself, but he couldn't stand the thought of forcing his mate to leave him behind.

They ran until they were huffing, until Lance was practically bent over trying to breathe better, and even then, they kept jogging. All Lance wanted was freedom. He wanted a life without Sendak, where he could raise his baby in peace and not worry about a terrible Alpha deciding everything. So he kept running, though his body ached and he felt as if he was going to vomit.

The desperation drove him until the last of his body’s fumes ran out, and he slowed to a stop, leaning his forehead against a wall and gasping for air. His face scrunched in agony, every cell in his body burning for oxygen, and pained tears filled his eyes as he tried to get himself to move.

“Lance, please, it’s just a little farther. You can make it. Please, Lance, we need to keep moving.”

Lance shook his head, body trembling with exhaustion. “I can’t,” he moaned. “I don’t have it in me anymore.”

His legs gave out underneath him, and he crumpled, using the wall as a balance as he fell to his knees. The tears finally fell, his body wracked with sobs. They had been so close. If only he could have kept going. But his body was useless, and all he was going to be able to do was sit here until the Galra found him and dragged him back to Sendak kicking and screaming.

He could feel Shiro trying to lift him, and he tried to get up, he really did, but his legs hurt so much, and his lungs felt like they were closing, and there were little black spots dancing in his vision.

As he tried to breathe past the true nausea he was experiencing, he vaguely heard voices and steps running towards them, before the sounds of a fight broke out. He whimpered, body shaking. They’d been found. He didn’t want to go back, didn’t want to deal with the pain and torture that would come from Sendak’s hands the moment their babies were born. He was so tired.

When the sound of something Lance presumed was bodies thumped onto the floor, he screwed his eyes shut, grabbing onto Shiro’s hands and squeezing them tight in fear.

“Buddy, no, it’s okay. We’re here. We’ve got you.”

At the sound of Hunk’s voice, Lance let loose a broken sob, finally turning away from the wall and crawling to his best friend. He clutched at his legs shakily, babbling nonsense through his tears, and he looked up to see Hunk in tears too, although he was certainly more composed than the mess Lance currently was.

“Come on, Hunk, we’ve got to get out of here before more Galra find us.”

Keith’s voice was a blessing that he’d thought he would never hear again, and he sniffled, wiping away his tears. “I can’t walk. I’m too tired.”

Hunk’s hands were warm as they scooped him up, and Lance buried his face into his best friend’s chest, listening to the rapid beating of his heart as they jogged. Shiro was luckily still able to keep up with them, and Lance reached out to clutch his hand as they all headed god knew where. He didn’t care about the specifics though. He was just happy that they were finally safe, finally getting away from Sendak.

When they arrived in some sort of cargo bay, Keith turned to Hunk. “Shiro can ride with me in Black and you can take Lance in Yellow.”

Lance shook his head weakly, clutching Shiro’s hand tighter. “No,” he moaned. “I need Shiro.”

“Okay, Hunk, take both of them with you.”

“Got it.”

It seemed strange, Lance mused, as Hunk placed him on what looked like a hospital bed that had obviously been installed before this mission, that they hadn’t run into Sendak. The last time he had seen him was when he was leaving to check on the attack, and Lance had been so sure that the Alpha would have found them as they were leaving. After the hell that he’d put them through these long months, it seemed strange to have such an anticlimactic separation. Still, he was glad.

Shiro buckled him in and sat next to him as Hunk and Keith flew their Lions out of the cargo bay and in everyone else’s direction.

Keith’s face popped up on the screen. “We’ve got them. Kolivan says that the Blades have completed their portion, as soon as they fly out.”

Cheers from Pidge, Allura, and some alien chick that Lance had never seen came from the screen, and, to Lance’s complete confusion, they all seemed to be moving away from the ship. He watched with blurry vision as Keith took out the last fighter jet, and no sooner than a black speck zoomed out of the back end of Sendak’s ship, a series of bright lights and explosions sounded. Lance gasped, feeling the mating bond that Sendak had forced on him snap and shatter as the Alpha died.

He had the briefest of moments to feel pure relief, before the breaking of the bond threw him into the sharpest pain he’d ever experienced. Beside him, he could hear Shiro cry out in pain, and his own scream echoed in his ears as everything went black.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance says goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So  
> This chapter is so much shorter than the rest of the ones I have  
> But this chapter focuses mostly on grief, and it felt right for this chapter to be dedicated to it

Lance groaned softly, eyes fluttering open only to screw shut again when the lights above him burned. He shifted, pressing his arm over his face and taking a deep breath. Everything hurt, and he wasn’t entirely certain what was going on.

He remembered getting taken off the ship, remembered that Sendak was dead…

_ Fuck _ , Sendak was dead. The relief it brought him was immeasurable, even though the torn bond still ached in his head.

There was shuffling around him, voices, and his arm was slowly lowered to show Shiro’s pained face.

“Lance,” he breathed, voice cracking with tears.

Lance couldn’t help the wobbling of his lip, the desperate way that he reached his arms out for Shiro. Shiro pulled him in close, rubbing up and down his back soothingly.

“It’s okay,” he whispered, voice thick. “I’m here.”

He repeated the sentiment over and over, almost as if he was trying to convince himself more than Lance. It was only then that he realized that Shiro’s stomach was still swollen, but his own was the flattest it had been in months.

Lance pulled away suddenly, looking up at Shiro with wide eyes before scanning around the room. He saw the rest of the Paladins, some alien lady he’d never seen before, Allura, and Coran, but his baby was nowhere in sight.

“Where is she? He? Where’s my cub?”

The mood in the room dropped even deeper, and something terrible curled up in Lance’s chest.

“What?”

Shiro shifted on the bed, clearing his throat and bringing Lance’s attention back to him. It didn’t help the ugly feeling, only made it worse. He wanted to scream, wanted to know what the  _ hell _ was going on.

“I’m so so sorry, Lance,” Coran cut in, reaching a hand out to stop Shiro from speaking. Shiro seemed to acknowledge Coran’s interjection, jaw clicking shut.

“You went into labor when the bond with Sendak was broken, likely due to the stress combined with what looked to be a precarious pregnancy. But there were… complications. Your baby didn’t make it.”

The words ran through Lance’s ears, but they didn’t want to sink in.

“No,” he whispered.

“No. No. Please no.”

The sympathy and pity in everyone’s eyes made him feel claustrophobic in his own skin. He was cracking, breaking. Everything was falling apart, nothing was real.

His baby couldn’t be gone. His angel. His cub. He’d carried them for so long, loved and wanted them. He’d wanted to see everything, wanted to be there and raise them.

And now they were gone.

Gone.

_ Gone _ .

His arms ached to hold his baby, and he didn’t realize that he was screaming until Shiro pulled him into his arms, sobbing with him. The only word he knew was no. His throat ached with his grief. He wanted to both pull Shiro closer and shove him away.

“This can’t be happening,” he whispered hoarsely, voice catching on his sobs.

“I’m so sorry,” Shiro sobbed over and over, hands running over his hair and back to try and soothe him.

He sobbed and screamed until all that was left was for him to slump in Shiro’s arms, exhausted. Each breath gusted painfully out of him with a quiet whimper, and he tucked his head into the crook of Shiro’s shoulder.

“You should sleep.” The words were whispered into his skin, soothing and warm. “It’s been a long day.”

Lance gripped Shiro tightly, pulling him close. “Please don’t leave me alone.  _ Please _ .”

“Never.”

…

Lance spent his recovery in a numb stupor. The only person he let touch him was Shiro, only let him feed him. Everything tasted blad, flavorless, and each bite made him nauseous, but he choked it down for Shiro.

Shiro was his tether in his grief, the only thing that kept him going, even if he didn’t have the energy to get out of bed. Shiro stayed by his side the whole time, coaxing him into the basic necessities that he never would have done otherwise.

The day after he woke, he rolled onto his back to realize that he’d begun lactating that night. His exhausted lungs could only summon so many sobs, but they tried nevertheless, and Shiro wiped away the only tears his body could muster as he helped clean Lance up.

Lance’s eyes fluttered open as he felt a wet and warm cloth wash over his body, soft and soapy. Shiro smiled sadly at him, and Lance moved to let him wash his body.

“Coran says you can be released tomorrow, maybe even today if things look good enough.”

“How long has it been?”

Shiro looked down. “Two weeks.”

Two weeks. It had felt like both a moment and an eternity. A length of time he could barely remember if he tried to think back. It made sense. And then he realized-

“Was it a boy or a girl?” He propped himself up onto his arm, watching Shiro tiredly.

Shiro’s face shuttered, and his jaw tightened as he visibly forced himself to not cry.

“She was a girl.”

Lance’s heart broke all over again, and he considered the daughter that he’d never had, would never have. Tears slipped down his face silently as he nodded, letting himself fall onto his back again.

“Coran has her in their equivalent of a morgue. He figured that when you were ready, we could stop at a nearby planet and hold a funeral for her.”

He nodded dumbly, letting his arm fall over his eyes. “Can we do it when I’m let out?”

Shiro paused. “Are you sure about that?”

“I don’t want her in there all alone. I want to say goodbye to her. I want to know that she has her own little spot in the universe that isn’t a cold morgue.”

He could feel Shiro shifting against him, still washing him down. “I’ll let Coran know.”

“Thank you,” he mumbled, before closing his eyes and turning his back to Shiro, forcing himself back into the blissful ignorance of dreamless, IV induced sleep.

…

Coran took his time checking him over, asking him all sorts of questions about how he was feeling and if anything hurt. He answered without much emotion, already drained and ready for it all to be over.

Not that it would ever be over. He’d seen his parents grieve when he was younger, and he’d learned that grief was a wound that never fully healed over. It only scarred, and that scar could be torn open by the smallest of things.

“Shiro tells me that you want to have a funeral for your baby as soon as you’re released.”

Lance nodded silently.

Coran shifted. “Do you have a specific planet in mind?”

Earth was the first planet to pop into his head, but he knew that they couldn’t go there. Not yet. Maybe not ever. He shrugged, head hanging.

“If you don’t mind me saying, the paladin that Blue chose after you were gone is a Balmeran. The planet her species lives on is a Balmera, and they create the crystals that power the Castle. I’m sure that Shay would like to see her family, and if we hold your baby’s funeral there, then she will one day contribute to a crystal like the one here in this castle.”

As tired as Lance was, it actually sounded kind of beautiful. It made his heart ache to know that his baby would never be with him, but Coran’s proposal wasn’t bad.

“We can do that, yeah.”

Coran’s smile was bittersweet, and Lance let himself lean into Shiro.

“I can let Allura know to open up a wormhole to the Balmera in a few minutes, if you’d like. Your body is healed enough that you don’t have to be stuck in here anymore.”

Lance nodded silently, closing his eyes as he prepared himself to rip open the wound.

…

Shiro stood by his side as Coran walked out of the Castle, holding a small wooden box. Lance had said no when Coran had asked him if he wanted to see his daughter. He didn’t want to know, didn’t want to see. Maybe he’d regret it, but he knew that he would regret it if he looked at her too. There was no winning.

Shay and her family stood there, along with the rest of the Paladins, but he paid them no mind. He just stared down at the hole that had been dug into the ground of the Balmera. According to Hunk, the planet had been almost dead when they’d freed it from the Galra, but already, he could see a multitude of things growing.

He watched, so drained of emotion that he couldn’t bring himself to shed a single tear, as Coran said a few words, before lowering her box into the ground. Lance stumbled forward, falling to his knees in the dirt next to his daughter’s grave, heart feeling as if it was going to tear itself out of his chest.

The Balmerans standing around all kneeled with him, pressing their hands to the ground, and Lance watched in awe as the ground beneath them began to glow. As if by magic, the dirt that had been dug slid into the hole, sealing his daughter’s coffin inside, and a single tiny crystal formed in the center.

He gasped, surprised at what was happening, when the glow finally reached him. He couldn’t describe the raw emotion in him, emotion that he knew was not coming from within himself. The Balmerans, Shay, her family, all poured their comfort into Lance, their sympathy and own twinges of grief.

Lance knew then that the Galra had taken from them too, children, parents, siblings. He could feel that they knew his suffering, and in that moment, for the first time since the bond to Sendak had shredded itself apart, he didn’t feel alone.

The feeling lasted long after the glow had faded, and Shay came to kneel next to him.

“I know that you do not know me very well,” she began. Lance couldn’t help but think to himself that she sounded so sweet and loving for someone who’d experienced god knew how much time in slavery and oppression.

“But Blue told me all about you. She didn’t know you for very long either, but you know what that bond it like. So I know the love that you have, and I know the love that you hold for your daughter. And I swear to you, that as long as my family stands, your daughter’s grave will be safe here.”

Lance turned to her, silent but grateful, and pulled her into a hard hug. Shiro rested a hand on his shoulder, and he pulled him into the hug too. Before long, all of the Paladins and Coran were kneeling on the ground, hugging Lance at the side of his daughter’s grave.

“Would you like us to place something with her name here?” Shay asked quietly.

Lance nodded, wiping away the tears that refused to come.

“She’s my Paloma. My little Palomita.”


End file.
